By Alfred Kollie alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
Already the United Nations has helped to provide storage facilities to preserve their fish in West Point, New Kru Town and Buchanan, but now moves are being made to beef up the skills of members of various Fish Farmers Cooperatives in Liberia.
The National Fish Farmers Union of Liberia (NAFFUL) at the weekend held a brainstorming forum to enable members overcome challenges confronting the fishing industry.
“Enhancing conflict prevention and peace consolidation through increased food security in the fishery sector,” was the theme of the forum held in the Liberian capital, Monrovia with support from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
Madam Kona S. Kollie, the head of NAFFUL told Reporters that the forum was intended to educate Liberians fish farmers on key preservation methods.
It was also aimed at teaching members of the three cooperatives under NAFFUL to managed three UNMIL supported storage facilities that were constructed by the organization in Monrovia’s New Kru Town and West Point as well as Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
“What we did was to first get those people who were involved into artisanal fishing into three separate cooperatives. And after that, we decided to build three storage facilities for members of the various cooperatives,” Madam Kollie said.
“These members now are charged with the responsibilities to ensure that those facilities are properly used and managed, and to do just that, we needed to train them,” the Fish National Fish Farmer Union leader explained.
According to Madam Kollie, each of the three storage facilities contains seven large freezers that can preserve fish for the longest time possible.
Madam Kollie, who is also head of the Young Women Organization (WOFIN), disclosed that the group has also decided to recruit some wayward Liberian youths otherwise known as “Zorgos” into the fishery sector by providing training for them.
“What we aim to realize under this very program is to buttress government’s pro-poor agenda by getting those youth off the streets to provide employment opportunity for them,” Madam Kollie explained.
One of the participants in the training forum, Patricia Jordiah told www.newspublictrust.com that the NAFFUL leadership was farsighted in holding such a training that has enhanced their knowledge.
Patricia, a fish seller at the Duala Market and a resident of Popo Beach community in the suburb of Monrovia, said the acquired knowledge that will enable them to make headways in the fishery sector.
Popo Beach Community is situated in the Borough of New Kru Town on the Bushrod Island.