Policy reforms to tap full potentials of aquaculture

Bangladesh has made a revolutionary progress in fish aquaculture during the last several decades. But, still there is need for some policy reforms to tap full potentials of the sector, speakers at a programme opined.
Creating greater access to fish as a source of nutrition among poor households in the future will require these policy reforms along with targeted investments, they added.
They made the observations at the launching ceremony of a book, authored and edited by researchers of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
The launching ceremony of the book - 'The Making of a Blue Revolution in Bangladesh: Enablers, Impacts, and the Path Ahead for Aquaculture' - was held at a city hotel on Sunday.
Planning Minister M A Mannan attended the function as the chief guest, while Prime Minister's Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury was the guest of honour.
Senior Secretary to the Power Division, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, and Director General (DG) of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Dr K A S Murshid were the special guests.
Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Raisul Alam Mondal was in the chair.
Director of the IFPRI South Asia office Shahidur Rashid along with senior research fellow at the IFPRI and Professor at the Peking University, China Xiaobo Zhang co-edited the book. The co-editors presented a synopsis of the book at the function.
The book examined three broad aspects of local aquaculture sector's development - determinants of value-chain transformation, impacts of the transformation, and medium-term prospects for aquaculture in Bangladesh.
Mr Shahidur Rashid said Bangladesh is an excellent case study on the role of fisheries sector in ensuring people's food security.
"Contrary to the assumptions that nutrient-rich foods remain out of reach for the poor, the story of fish aquaculture in Bangladesh shows how nutrient-rich foods can become more widely available for all."
More than 2.0 million of the 18 million Bangladeshis, who came out of poverty during 2000-2010 period, managed to do so because of aquaculture, he added.
Mr Xiaobo Zhang said when productivity of Bangladesh's aquaculture sector will improve further, tapping into international markets will require updating the country's fisheries policies and regulations.
Based on various findings, the book suggested policy and research implications for enhancing productivity, developing markets, and building institutional capacity.
In his speech, Mr Raisul Alam Mondal said there is a need for increasing fish productivity to help reduce nutrition gaps among lower-income groups of people.
He also emphasised increasing investment, improving production method, conducting more research, inventing varieties, and tapping export potentials.

[email protected]