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| Photo courtesy of newera.com.na |
Namibia's Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernhard Esau, has said that aquaculture is a solution to the threat to food security that is climate change.
These remarks were made when Mr Esau was visiting the Fonteintjie community aquaculture project in Keetmanshoop last week. His visit was part of his familiarisation tour of the Karas region.
Mr Esau warned that the negative effect of climate change is having on ocean temperatures is affecting the breeding cycles of fish.
“The effect on the marine breeding cycle impacts on our total allowable catches,” he remarked.
Mr Esau explained that with aquaculture, factors such as temperature fluctuations can be controlled.
“We need to promote it aggressively. You can also determine how much fish to produce."
He went on to stress that communities must understand that the government is investing in aquaculture development for their benefit.
Referring to Fonteintjie as a pilot community project at which six community members work on a voluntarily basis, Mr Esau expressed satisfaction with the progress on the renovations of the project at a cost of N$21 million. The commissioning of the upgraded Fonteintjie project is scheduled for February next year.
The renovations, of which 67 percent has been completed according to chief fisheries biologist Undamunje Tjihuiko, include a fence, several buildings, ponds, water supply infrastructure, water tank stands and septic tanks and drains.
The ministry of fisheries has allocated funds to upgrade the project in line with a Cabinet directive to implement projects.
Read more HERE.
These remarks were made when Mr Esau was visiting the Fonteintjie community aquaculture project in Keetmanshoop last week. His visit was part of his familiarisation tour of the Karas region.
Mr Esau warned that the negative effect of climate change is having on ocean temperatures is affecting the breeding cycles of fish.
“The effect on the marine breeding cycle impacts on our total allowable catches,” he remarked.
Mr Esau explained that with aquaculture, factors such as temperature fluctuations can be controlled.
“We need to promote it aggressively. You can also determine how much fish to produce."
He went on to stress that communities must understand that the government is investing in aquaculture development for their benefit.
Referring to Fonteintjie as a pilot community project at which six community members work on a voluntarily basis, Mr Esau expressed satisfaction with the progress on the renovations of the project at a cost of N$21 million. The commissioning of the upgraded Fonteintjie project is scheduled for February next year.
The renovations, of which 67 percent has been completed according to chief fisheries biologist Undamunje Tjihuiko, include a fence, several buildings, ponds, water supply infrastructure, water tank stands and septic tanks and drains.
The ministry of fisheries has allocated funds to upgrade the project in line with a Cabinet directive to implement projects.
Read more HERE.
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