The government on Tuesday signed two separate agreements with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to implement two fisheries projects.
Sultana Afroze, additional secretary of the Economic Relations Division under the Ministry of Finance, and Robert D Simpson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, signed both the agreements on behalf of their respective sides at ERD conference room here, a FAO press release said.
Under the agreements, the US$ 5.425 million community-based Climate Resilient Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in Bangladesh project and the Support to countries to address Illegal Unreported and unregulated Fishing project will be jointly implemented by the Department of Fisheries (DoF) and the FAO, Bangladesh.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is funding the first project as a grant from the Least Developed Country’s Fund (LDCF). The four-year Climate Resilient Fisheries project is expected to be completed by March 2023.
The second project is a Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) of FAO. Project budget is US$ 320,000. The project is of one year duration.
The Climate Resilient Fisheries project will be implemented in South Sunamganj and Jagannathpur upazila of Sunamganj district; Juri Upazila of Moulvibazar district and Nasirnagar Upazila of Barahman Baria district in the North-east haor area. In the South-west coastal area, the project will be implemented in Dumuria and Dacope upazilas of Khulna, Bagerhat sadar and Kachua upazila of Bagerhat and Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira.
Under the second project, FAO will support the Department of Fisheries for their capacity and skill development to formulate and adopt legislations, regulations, standards and implementation of arrangements in line with international and regional standards in reducing Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
IUU fishing includes fishing and fishing-related activities in contravention of national, regional and international laws. IUU fishing hinders developing countries’ growth opportunities, deprives the poorest, food-insecure people who depend on fisheries for their livelihood. Countries in the South and South East Asia region recognise the importance and need for concerted national, regional and international actions to address the IUU fishing.
FAO has been facilitating the government to join the global IUU forum. If the government of Bangladesh joins the IUU forum, Bangladesh will get other benefits and support from the international community.
