World Bank is spearheading the development of a Small-Scale Fisheries Training Curriculum for Future Leaders.
The two-day training, held at the Royal Grand Hotel, brought together key stakeholders to apply the “Illuminating Hidden Harvests Global Approach for Assessments, Analysis, and Monitoring of Small-Scale Fisheries.”
Speaking at the event, World Bank Liberia Country Manager, Georgia Wallen, highlighted the importance of this initiative.
“Today’s event represents an investment in Liberia’s future leaders in the fisheries and aquaculture sector,” she said.
“Adoption of the ‘Illuminating Hidden Harvests Global Approach’ is an important step forward, and we are pleased to see the tremendous ongoing commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders.”
The World Bank’s support for this endeavor is aligned with its mission to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity on a livable planet.
Wallen said Bank’s financing for the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries project has been instrumental in establishing the Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Program (FASP) at the University of Liberia.
“The FASP has transformative potential, focusing on building the human resource capacity needed for effective fisheries management, agriculture, fish processing, and marketing,” Wallen explained.
“These skills are essential for meeting the needs of the Liberian people, cutting across both the public and private sectors.”
The program has already garnered significant interest, with over 100 students enrolling in the first two semesters.
Wallen also highlighted the Bank’s support for the construction of a regional center of excellence for fisheries sciences and governance at the University of Liberia, which will facilitate faculty training and position Liberia as a regional hub for expertise and knowledge sharing in the field.
Fish provide approximately 15% of the country’s animal protein supply and about 10% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to USAID. The sector provides full- or part-time employment for 37,000 people [ Small-scale fisheries provide employment for 33,000 people, 60% of whom are women
Per capita fish consumption in Liberia is however among the lowest in the region. Recent research suggests that Liberian fisheries can significantly contribute to providing the country’s needs for animal protein if key issues related to local capacity, governance, and infrastructure are addressed.
