By Sarah Baafi
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture has intensified efforts to strengthen Ghana’s fisheries sector following a high-level engagement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Country Representative to Ghana, Priya Gujadhur.
The meeting also served as an official invitation to the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, to attend the 34th FAO Regional Conference for Africa scheduled to take place in Nouakchott, Mauritania, from April 13 to 17.
The conference is expected to bring together key sector ministers and stakeholders to shape FAO’s strategic direction across the continent, with a strong focus on fisheries and aquaculture development.
During the engagement, the FAO delegation highlighted the importance of the conference as a platform for knowledge-sharing, policy dialogue, and collaboration through technical workshops and roundtable discussions aimed at strengthening partnerships with member countries.
The team also outlined ongoing initiatives in Ghana, including strengthening grassroots governance in the fisheries sector, developing a National Plan of Action for small-scale fisheries, supporting the implementation of the Fisheries Law (Act 1146), promoting linkages between small-scale fisheries and the school feeding programme, and boosting aquaculture development, particularly in northern Ghana.
In her remarks, Ms. Arthur commended FAO for its continued support and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to deepening collaboration. She stressed the need to enhance accountability at the grassroots level to ensure a more resilient and sustainable fisheries sector.
She further called for FAO’s support in introducing modern fish processing technologies to improve efficiency and value addition, while urging the expansion of joint programmes to accelerate growth and transformation within the industry.
The meeting underscores Ghana’s ongoing efforts to build strategic partnerships aimed at improving fisheries management, supporting livelihoods, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of marine resources.
