The Ministry of Fisheries, in collaboration with Insight Training Centre recently held a three-day training for retailers and operators on business planning and management, at the Gambia College in Brikama.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nfamara Dampha, the Director of Fisheries, buttressed on the important role the fisheries sector plays in providing cheap protein and foreign exchange earnings.
According to him, in The Gambia fisheries sector contributes 4.5 percent of the GDP. He stated that up to 200,000 people are directly or indirectly engaged in fisheries and fisheries related income-generating activities. This he added, is the sector that provides employment and income to the most vulnerable groups. He noted that the Brikama Fish Market is to address one of the technical constraints in the post harvest fisheries sector, which he said, is the issue of spoilage.
"It is estimated that 75 percent of those engaged in fish handling, processing and marketing in the arti-sanal fisheries sector are Gambians," he revealed, noting that the objective of the training was to build the capacities of market operators and to enhance their knowledge of the various facilities and their uses.
He added that the training was meant to improve fish retailers' response to market demand on time with quality products.
For his part, Masami Tsoshly, a representative from Japan said the maintenance of the fish market in Brikama would go a long way towards solving some of the constraints facing the sector.
Other speakers included the Governor of Western Region, Lamin Sanneh who expressed appreciation to the Department of Fisheries, in collaboration with Insight Training Centre for organising a series of training programmes for Brikama fish retailers and operators.
Ousman Mass Jobe, the Project Coordinator, chaired the occasion.
