FAO funds project for upgrading fishing harbours in India

New Delhi, June 21 (UNI) United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will fund a project for upgrading fishing harbours to make Indian marine products globally acceptable.

The project, with a total budget of 302,000 dollars, would be completed in 18 months.

Dr Daniel Gustafson, FAO's representative in India, and Mr Naved Masood, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Ministry of Agriculture have signed a project document on capacity building in support of cleaner fishing harbours.

The project, funded by FAO from its Technical Cooperation Programme, aims to build the technical knowledge and institutional capacity to upgrade fishing harbours to meet international standards necessary for fish quality assurance, to develop self-sustainable management capacities and to raise the income earning opportunities from fishing, in particular, for poor households.

The project will mainly establish self-financing management structures for the maintenance and operation of two fishing harbours, implement clearning and sanitation programmes that meets modern safety standards in the two fishing harbours and reduce pollution from waste products from fisheries activities.

Among the inputs to be provided by FAO are international and national consultants, contracts with an Indian institute for the production of training materials, in-country training activities/workshops, materials/supplies and a 10-day study tour to a suitable international centre for excellence in Asia.

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