The country’s head of mission for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Aleu Garang said the activities of fish farming in IGAD member states has been overlooked with only a few paying attention to the project.

“Africa has diverse fish resources with immense potential and opportunities for contributing significantly to social-economic growth of Africa, IGAD region and improving livelihood for its citizens,’’ he said.

He said the fish sector greatly generates a variety of benefits such as, food security, employment, foreign currency, conservation and biodiversity that are of global significance.

“There is less attention and focus to the developed fisheries sub-sector. The fisheries in the IGAD member states can contribute to accelerating income-generating growth and development,” Mr Garang said.

Mr Garang pointed out that fish farming is facing stiff factors in the areas of lack of attention by policymakers, lack of appropriate fishing equipment, high positive harvest loss and difficult access to market and lack of fish promotion as a source of animal protein.

He added that fishing activities in the IGAD region are focused on the inland waters located in the highlands and populated areas.

“The fish resources potential and its contribution to resilience and food security and livelihood diversification in arid and semi-arid areas are overlooked by IGAD member states and the development partners,” Mr. Garang emphasized.

He further revealed that the African Development Bank (AFDB) had previously allocated funds to finance the fisheries project for the Baro-Akobo-Sobat River Basin and the Oromo-Turkana fish management in Addis-Ababa in 2015.

Garang said the plan of the fish project for Baro-Akobo-Sobat River Basin aims to empower people in South Sudan to be able to keep fish as well as producing high-quality fish products meant for both local and international consumption.

He said most of the issues which face fish farming in the country entail insecurity adding the business will now progress given the presence of peace in the country.

He was speaking during a workshop to engage fishers between Ethiopian and South Sudan on fish development.

The Undersecretary in the Ministry of Livestock and fisheries Makuei Malual Koang said fish in the country are at their abundance, which requires more effort from the government to exploit the rich diversity so as generate income and support livelihood for the communities.

“This is a good project which will support especially the livelihood of those communities living around those areas. So, we need to focus on sustainable utilization of the fisheries in those areas and yet people should also focus on protecting the environment,” Mr Koang.