The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization last week announced that it's expanding its aquaculture initiatives with the launch of the Aquaculture Network for the Americas (RAA), with 20 participating countries from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The initiative looks to the FAO's fisheries and aquaculture department to promote the sustainable development of aquaculture in the region. The objectives are to help small-scale producers get off the ground, make cooperative mechanisms feasible and build institutions.
The FAO forecasts that 2 million to 3 million metric tons of fish will be required to feed Latin Americans this year.
"Fish is associated with multiplication; it is a fertility symbol for several countries," said FAO regional representative José Graziano da Silva. "You cannot give fish, but teach how to fish. This idea of ‘we are going to teach how to fish' is what will make the RAA even more than a productive sector."
Meanwhile, Altemir Gregolin, Brazil's fisheries and aquaculture minister, pointed to Latin America's potential when it comes to aquaculture and the importance of cooperation among countries, adding, "This integration and cooperation is strategic for our countries, as food production and security are our responsibility. Fish is a splendid food."
April 12, 2010
