By Modou Kanteh
The Gambia Government, through the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources, has secured a project worth 2.2 million US Dollars, from United Nation Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), to strengthen the capacities of coastal communities and their resilience against climate change.
The project, dubbed GEF 6 Fisheries CCA Project, is expected to benefit over 10,000 people in the fishing sector. Out of this number, 40 percent will be female. The project will enhance the capacities of Small Scale Enterprises and Communities dependent on coastal fisheries in The Gambia.
According to officials, the project also seeks to increase adaptive capacities and climate change resilience of coastal fisheries and dependent populations by addressing the Gambian fisheries post-harvest sector. This will be achieved by promoting adaptation-oriented innovation, encouraging investment, improving post-harvest management practices, technologies and services to artisanal fisheries value chain.
Climate change is already impacting the fishery sector of The Gambia and its effects and severity is expected to rise with expected increase in temperature. Fish being one of main protein sources in The Gambia, impacts about its availability affect the food security of the country, especially the most vulnerable ones, as well as the fish post-catch handling, storage and processing activities undertaken by artisanal fishing communities within the fishery sector.
Therefore, the two-year GEF 6 Fisheries CCA Project addresses the barriers identified with various segments of the fisheries value chain, which if not adequately supported hampers the identification of relevant policy responses and climate-technology solutions.
Policy makers believe studies on the value chain of small pelagic fishers are needed to address issues related to fluctuations in the total landings of the main small pelagic fish species.
