Faced with the recurrence of extreme climate phenomena that threaten its sustainability, the sector seeks to strengthen its adaptation.

In The Gambia, the Executive has just launched a $25 million program called “PROREFISH Gambia”, aimed at increasing the climate resilience of the fishing sector. The information was released on April 12 by the local newspaper The Voice.

Co-financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the initiative will be carried out over a period of 6 years, between 2023 and 2029, in collaboration with FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources.

According to Mustapha Ceesay, FAO Deputy Representative in the country, this program has three components. The first will be dedicated to improving the infrastructure and equipment of artisanal fishing, whose great vulnerability to extreme climatic phenomena such as floods causes significant losses.

The second component refers to strengthening technical and financial support for the development of aquaculture, while the third will be dedicated to the restoration of degraded mangroves, which play a key role as breeding and fry production areas.

Interventions will include the implementation and improvement of climate adaptation mechanisms that have already proven successful in the sector in some countries in the West African subregion and the promotion of new aquaculture technologies in the fish production and nutrition segments.

In terms of socio-economic benefits, the program is expected to improve the incomes of up to 168,000 people. In The Gambia, fishing employs about 300,000 people, according to data from the Executive. In the country, artisanal fishing provides about 90% of the local fish supply.

Source: EcomNewsAfrique