To enable stakeholders in fisheries to open up to new opportunities, including access to new markets, the FAO Office in Côte d'Ivoire, in collaboration with the Ministry of Animal and Fishery Resources, organized a round table discussion for technical and financial partners to meet with small-scale fisheries stakeholders.

More than 40 participants attended the discussion. They came from financial institutions, hotels, supermarkets and restaurants, ministries and technical structures. Among the participants were also fishers, fishmongers, and other representatives from fisheries associations, federations and cooperatives.

Mr. Samy Gaiji, FAO Representative in Côte d'Ivoire, noted at the opening of the discussions that: "This meeting is a great opportunity for small-scale fishers, in that it will enable them to know and apply the required standards in order to benefit from markets".

Nearly 74,000 tons of fish were caught in 2018 in Côte d'Ivoire. Fish contributes nearly 50 percent of the total animal protein consumed in the country and fisheries generate more than 7,000 direct jobs and 400,000 indirect jobs.
The round table discussion was held as part of the of the Coastal Fishery Initiative (CFI) project in West Africa, which in particular includes support to the small-scale fisheries sector. CFI is primarily funded by the Global Environment Facility(GEF). There is also some complementary funding from the FAO SSF Umbrella programme for the implementation of the SSF Guidelines (learn more here).

Learn more:

• Les partenaires techniques et financiers rencontrent les acteurs de la pêche artisanale pour échanger sur les opportunités de partenariat et de financement des produits du secteur
• Pêche artisanale: Les clés de financement de la FAO

Photos ©FAO