Regional cooperation between African and Asian countries is vital to improve the fisheries sector in their respective countries, said Manoj Nardeosingh, Secretary-General of the African Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO).

The fisheries sector has the potential to change the lives of people in many African-Asian countries. The sector can play a vital role in the economic development of these nations, he said.

He was speaking at the valedictory of an international workshop-cum-training programme organised by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), under the auspices of the AARDO.

Urging scientists and professionals in the sector to seek regional collaborations for the betterment of fisheries, he said focusing on value addition would help transform the lives of coastal communities. The member countries of AARDO can earn benefits by connecting together, transforming technologies and through exchange schemes, he added.

The workshop was aimed at imparting training on a range of topics such as marine fisheries assessment, fish stock estimation, the marine fisheries environment, impact of climate change on fisheries, responsible fisheries and mariculture activities.

Fisheries officials from Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Oman, Morocco, Zambia, Malawi, Mauritius, Malaysia and Sri Lanka attended the 15-day workshop at the CMFRI. The programme was part of an international collaboration between the Ministry of Rural Development and AARDO, which is an inter-governmental organisation in the field of agricultural and rural development, with its headquarters in New Delhi.

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