To enhance food security, the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (FCFN) is urging the establishment of a national Task Force on fisheries. The aim is to bolster organizational capacities and foster the active participation of fishing communities in shaping and implementing policies.
The FCFN emphasizes that the fisheries sector has the potential to alleviate poverty, eradicate hunger, and enhance income for millions of households through fish capture, processing, trade, and related industries.
The FCFN, in its proposal titled “Revitalization of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry of Nigeria for Sustainable Creation and Revenue Generation,” underscores the sector’s multifaceted role in the national economy, which often goes undocumented in statistical systems.
The cooperative asserts that with proper attention, the fisheries sector can significantly contribute to achieving food security and poverty reduction, aligning with global development goals such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The FCFN report points out that the fishery sector plays crucial roles, providing direct and indirect employment, with an estimated 10 million fishers in sub-Saharan Africa, including 7 million from West and Central Africa. The cooperative stresses the importance of recognizing all activities, from catching and farming to processing, trade, and catering, to obtain an accurate estimate of the total value added by the sector.
In its recommendations to the government, the FCFN calls for the establishment of a national Task Force for poverty alleviation in fisheries, aiming to empower fishing communities in policy formulation and implementation.
Additionally, the cooperative advocates for support to small-scale producers to access national and international markets, addressing vulnerabilities that hinder their capacity to contribute to poverty reduction and engage in resource management and fisheries policy-making.
The FCFN’s proactive stance underscores the critical role the fisheries sector can play in Nigeria’s economic development, emphasizing the need for strategic policies and collaborative efforts to harness its full potential for the benefit of local communities and the national economy.
