The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) will collaborate with the government of Liberia to launch an aquaculture project valued at US$492,000
The project aims to address the challenges and constraints of youth unemployment in Liberia. The aquaculture project materialised following a request by the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports for technical support from the FAO.
The project, which is expected to be launched in July 2016, will focus on technical cooperation and is titled, “Creating aquaculture enterprise for youth employment, poverty reduction and food security.” It aims to build the capacity of 600 vulnerable youths in aquaculture development in Margibi, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount and Bomi Counties.
As a part of the project, a ten-day agriculture training seminar on the provision of economic development through youth employment, entrepreneurship, and improved nutrition and poverty reduction, will be held for 40 youth from western Liberia regions, Grand Cape Mount and Bomi Counties will be provided. The training seminar, scheduled to begin on 27 June 2016, is an extension of an aquaculture seminar that was conducted in Grand Bassa County from 13-23 June this year.
The seminar will bring together officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Bureau of National Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture along with young Liberian entrepreneurs and key stakeholders to speak about the development of small business skills in these sectors, the FAO stated. The training will focus on at developing small business management skills, gender wealth creation opportunities, and developing the potential of young people for a sustainable aquaculture entrepreneurship.
Participants of the seminar are expected to acquire improved methods of fish farming and hatchery management techniques, and better business development strategy.
