By Buertey Francis BORYOR
Ghana has been admonished to enhance its aquaculture sector through leveraging innovative technologies from Israel.
According to the Deputy Chief of Mission-Embassy of Israel to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Aviel Avraham – who was speaking at the breakfast forum organised by the Economic and Trade Mission of the Embassy of Israel in Accra and the Chamber of Aquaculture-Ghana on Tuesday, August 8, 2024 – leveraging such technologies would boost the country’s food security, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
The event was themed ‘Enhancing Ghana’s Aquaculture Sector: Leveraging on Innovative Technologies from Israel’.
While acknowledging that the country’s aquaculture sector plays a significant role in its national economy – contributing about 3 to 5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and providing employment opportunities, he worryingly noted that its declining fish supply is insufficient to provide affordable protein for its growing population.
“The aquaculture industry in Ghana faces challenges – such as limited knowledge of aquaculture investment, lack of information on the economic performance of various fish farming systems and inadequate supply of quality feed and seed fish – which have long hindered the growth of aquaculture,” he added.
Consequently, he said that development of the country’s aquaculture is critical and non-negotiable as a strategy to bridge its fish demand and supply gap – and produce surplus for export.
Also, he underscored the significance of ties between the two nations and indicated that Israel’s agricultural initiatives in the country have focused on knowledge-transfer, capacity building and the introduction of cutting-edge technologies.
“The relationship between Israel and Ghana has been one of mutual respect and cooperation, particularly in the field of agriculture. Through various collaborations, we worked hand in hand with the government of Ghana, policymakers and the private sector to share best practices and technological advancements.
“This collaborative engagement is embodied in the many training programmes, workshops and joint ventures we have established over the years. Key among these is our ongoing 11-month agricultural training programme for agricultural graduate students from Ghana to visit Israel for studies and work,” he said.
“This forum is not our first engagement in Ghana’s aquaculture sector. Several expert professionals have benefitted from different training programmes organised by our MASHAV Agriculture Training Centre in Shefayim, Israel. In recent times, 4 professionals have benefitted from our training,” he added.
The forum aimed to introduce innovative Israeli technologies that can enhance aquaculture production in the country, as well as establish a platform for knowledge and experience sharing on aquaculture production. Also it was to encourage partnerships and utilise strengths among sector players in the aquaculture sectors of Ghana and Israel.
Israel has long been recognised for its expertise in agricultural innovation, turning arid deserts into fertile lands and establishing itself as a global leader in water-management and agricultural technologies.
Ghana’s current fish production from aquaculture is 132,000 metric tonnes per year and approximately 10 percent of its population depend on the aquaculture sector for their livelihood.
