The department of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly matters, on behalf of the government of The Gambia, yesterday, signed an agreement with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), on strengthening knowledge base, and implementing an ecosystem approach to marine and fisheries management for developing countries, at a ceremony held at the department of state for Agriculture in Banjul.

The long-term objective of the EAF-Nansen project is to provide  fisheries research institutions and management administrations in participating countries with additional knowledge on their ecosystem for their use in planning and monitoring and to further the acceptance of the key principles of the EAF.

Activities planned under the ecosystem approach of fisheries EAF-Nansen project are intended to help all the participating countries to honour their pledge and commitment towards the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSO) target on the implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries.

Briefing Gambian officials on the project, Dr Babagana Ahmadu, FAO representative in The Gambia, said that the project is a partnership between the government of Norway, the Institute of Marine Research, the African Coastal Countries of which The Gambia is one and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.  

The project he added, is funded by Norway and executed by the FAO. Funding for the first phase of the project to the tune of US$ 16.5 million has been provided for, by the government of Norway. To further assist in the achievement of the activities outlined in the project document, Dr Ahmadu disclosed, Norway has also pledged to contribute an additional contribution of US$ 13 million.

According to him, Norway is providing funding to FAO to implement the project so that the organisation can provide the necessary assistance to its member countries. He noted that it is important therefore, that all countries in the targeted areas participate fully in the activities under the project.

He then reiterated the full commitment of the FAO to the effective facilitation of this important process in The Gambia. Momodou Kotu Cham, the secretary of state for Forestry and Environment, signed the agreement on behalf of the secretary of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters.