By Stephen N. Tokpah
(freelancer)
The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Emmanuel Yarkpawolo, has revealed that fish farming has the potential to improve nutritional intake for all people, despite their economic status in the country.
In the age of global scarcity, nutritional inequalities, over depletion of fish stock and global warming with its associated poverty, the innovation and importance of fish farming cannot be overemphasized.
It is well established in the literature that eating fish is healthier than eating red meat.
“On the national level, according to the OPEC Fund September 2022 report, fisheries account for 10 percent of agriculture production and 3 percent of Growth Domestic Product (GDP) in Liberia,” he stressed.
Dr. Yarkpawolo, who spoke through his Administrative Assistant, Timothy Yoko said improving the fisheries sector is key to agriculture growth and sustainability in Liberia.
He made the statement in Gbarnga, Bong County at one symposium organized by Thea Cece Moise and the Strive Fish Farming Members, which was intended to showcase the power of fish farming in Bong County.
The EPA Executive Administrative Assistant revealed that if Liberia as a country is to gain food security and self-sufficiency, the innovation of fishing farming will have to be part of it.
“This is why agriculture is the first part of our President Joseph N. Boakai’s ARREST Agenda. I encourage you to continue to buttress the government effort in turning of growth and development,” Yoko noted.
He continued, “To our farmers, I encourage you to not just make fish farms for subsistence but farms for commercial gains. Production is a matter of scale. Once you learn how to take care of a small fish pond, you can use that same idea to take care of larger fish farms. I have seen some of the work of the sustainable fish farming practices of this institution. The technique they use is simple, easy and environmentally friendly. Sometimes the fish are farmed with rice. You harvest rice at the same time you harvest fish, giving you the farmer double benefits.”
“We encourage you to take care of this opportunity. I encourage you to get involved with fish farming. The future for this endeavor is bright as the government of Liberia is prioritizing self-sufficiency through agriculture productivity,” he stated.
He further pledged the EPA commitment in working with the citizens in order to create renewable energy solutions for irrigation, cold storage and drying opportunities, adding “We at the EPA will support your efforts to get involved with fish farming.”
“We can all help the government to gain food security and at the same time create wealth for ourselves and reduce poverty in Liberia,” he noted.
