The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized fish farming as environmentally friendly and key to agriculture growth and economic sustainability in Liberia to address the issues of food security, self-sufficiency.
The EPA also believe that fish farming is an agriculture activities when invested in can rapidly eliminate poverty and improved sustainable development in Liberia.
Speaking on behalf of the EPA Executive Director, Emmanuel Yarkpawolo addressing cross session of Liberian on the potential of business initiative in Liberia, encouraged farmer not just to make fish farms for subsistence but also for commercial gains.
According to him, 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.
He further indicated that it is well established in the literature that eating fish is healthier than eating red meat, adding that fish farming has the potential to improve nutritional intake for all people, despite their economic status.
“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. This is why improving this sector is key to agriculture growth and sustainability in Liberia. If our 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 ARREST Agenda. I encourage you to continue this effort” He urged.
The ex-Liberian Journalist further pointed out that production is a matter of scale and once fish farmers learn how to take care of a small fish pond, they can used that same idea to take care of larger fish farms.
“We acknowledge your letter inviting Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia to this beautiful program, which seeks to showcase the power of fish farming in Bong County,” he noted.
“Create yourself jobs and create jobs for others. You will not regret this decision. 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,” he lamented.
He commented that they at the EPA will support fish farming efforts to get involved with the project, they can work with them to create renewable energy solutions for irrigation, cold storage and drying opportunities.
