120 women oyster harvesters in The Gambia learned to swim, in a potentially life-saving initiative supported by FISH4ACP.
Photo: FAO / FISH4ACP
FISH4ACP, an international initiative working to strengthen fisheries and aquaculture sectors across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, will host the tenth edition of its virtual tour on 11 December, inviting participants to explore two examples of how targeted support can transform aquatic value chains.
The event will feature a training programme that helped 120 women oyster harvesters in The Gambia learn to swim, which organisers say helped reduce fears of drowning and has made the sector more appealing to other women.
Another segment will focus on Côte d’Ivoire, where an initiative to close the gap between financial institutions and fish farmers aims to boost domestic tilapia production.
With one year remaining in its implementation period, FISH4ACP is assessing the value created through almost five years of work to upgrade aquatic value chains.
This week's event is billed as "an online conversation" posing the question, "Are aquatic value chains worth investing in?" and brings together stakeholders from across the value chain together with experts, donors and representatives from the international development community.
"Analyzing costs and benefits, summing up key lessons learned, and presenting the potential for use elsewhere, the initiative is showcasing a series of cases for public and private investment that can generate meaningful economic, social and environmental impact," the organisers say.
In addition to video presentations on the projects in The Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire, the event will feature a debate with experts and stakeholders on how to scale up interventions in aquatic value chain development, as well as discussions engaging with the audience on mobilising investment in aquatic value chains in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
About FISH4ACP
FISH4ACP is a five-year, €40 million programme launched in 2019 by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), coordinated by the FAO and funded by the EU and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Its mission is to enhance the productivity, competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and inclusivity of fisheries and aquaculture value chains across 12 ACP countries, spanning Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
