The National Fish farmers Union of Liberia with support from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has begun the construction of three cold storage facilities for artisanal fishermen and fish farmers in country.
The Chairperson of the union, Konah Kollie disclosed recently that cold storage facilities are been constructed in the Township of West Point, New Kru Town in Monrovia and Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
The cold storage facilities are mainly for small fishing companies and farmers to be able to store their fish.
Madam Kollie made the disclosure in an exclusive interview with www.newspublictrust.com shortly after the end of a one-day workshop attended by over fishermen and fish farmers from Montserrado Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties.
She said the decision to construct the cool storage was based on the loss that small fishing companies and fish farmers were facing as a result of having rotten fish on their hands due to lack of cold storage facilities.
Secondly, she said the fishermen and fish farmers usually auction their fish due to the lack of storage facilities over the years and that the bigger companies were making progress, because they are having well established storage facilities.
Asked about the source of electrical power, she replied that UNMIL be also purchasing three powerful generators purposely to provide electricity for the storage facilities.
Madam Kollie explained that the purpose of the deliberation is to united the fishermen and fish farmers into groups or cooperatives
She described the storage facilities as ware houses for cool fish and fresh products and management teams will be set up to administer the affairs of the storages.
Regarding Liberia’s hard to reach southeastern region, the Chairperson of Liberia’s Fish Farmers Union said the construction of the three facilities is a pilot project, adding that there is a possibility of extending this program for fishermen and fish farmers to that region.
Some 150 fishermen and fish farmers in Liberia attended the recent workshop in Monrovia held under the theme: “Enhancing Conflict Prevention and Peace Consolidation through Increased Food Security Fishery Sector.”
The forum graced by representatives of the Ministries of Youth, Agriculture, the Governance Commission, the United Nations food and Agriculture Organization of the United (FAO), among others. Report by Augustine Octavius