Western Regional Coastal Foundation (WRCF) has since August 2016 been working with 130 fish farmers from four associations in the Ellembelle and Jomoro districts of the Western Region (W/R) to train fish farmers to build their capacity and provide advice on best practices to ensure sustainable business models for the future, Project Leader for WRCF, Mr. Matthew Armah, has disclosed.
He contended that improving technical education at the local institutes was key to increasing employment opportunities, and for that matter, his outfit facilitated a number of multi-stakeholder meetings where they discussed methods to meet industry standards in TVET.
He added that in 2017, they have rolled out a series of pilot projects to deliver an evidence-based TVET support programme with support from the ministry of energy’s oil and gas capacity building project.
Mr. Armah made the disclosure at a Citizens Advisory Council Public Session in Takoradi to offer local residents, local government, traditional rulers, private sector and CSOs the opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue and develop mutually beneficial relationships to manage the stakeholder expectations.
Common thematic topics reviewed through the dialogue session included improving local content (enhancing skills in technology and job creation), alternative livelihoods (increasing incomes), self-help initiatives (improving healthcare), collaborating with government (planning with data) and research to inform economic interventions.
The rest were water (quality, access, distribution and management), environment and sanitation (refuse, drainage and places of convenience), and economic development and livelihoods (unemployment, alternative livelihoods).
A beneficiary of the programme, Mr. Solomon Kusi from the ANCOFFA Fish Farmers Association, opined that by the help of WRCF, they have improved on their operations thereby witnessing tremendous growth in production, a situation which has attracted more people into fish farming especially the youth in the district.
He mentioned that they were taken through proper construction of pond, proper lining and preparation of pond, grading and sorting of fishes, feeding and monitoring of fishes and health monitoring of fishes among others. He therefore called on other stakeholders to support the effort of WRCF for a maximum impact on the economy.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
