‘Building back better’:

FAO project on post-harvest fish handling

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has formulated a project based on the Government’s post-tsunami strategy and program for the reconstruction and development of the marine fisheries sector, which aims at ‘building back better’, FAO Representative in Colombo Patrick Evans told Daily News Business.

The project titled ‘Minimum standards for fish handling and reduced post-harvest losses in selected tsunami affected communities’ in Sri Lanka and the Government of Spain has provided funding of US$ 521,799 for the implementation of this project, he said.

The project will be implemented over a period of twelve months commencing from June 2009 by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Department of Fisheries and the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (CFHC) while FAO provides operational and technical support. “The implementation just started and the FAO will be able to announce the progress in three months time,” he said.

Quality improvement of fish handling and the reduction of post-harvest losses is one of the highest priorities in long-term fisheries sector development of Sri Lanka as reflected in the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

In accordance with this need, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources sought the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the planning and implementation of activities aimed at minimizing post-harvest losses and maintaining the quality of fish in order to assure food safety, reduce resource waste and to minimize the pressure on both coastal and offshore fishery resources, Evans said.

The project will address the issues of market and quality control constraints relating to post-harvest handling. The major objectives of the project are: to identify quality constraints relating to post-harvest handling, strengthen National Capacity to deliver post-harvest extension and monitor fish quality, develop appropriate fish handling technologies and practices in selected tsunami affected pilot communities, and enhance training on food safety and quality control.

The FAO intends to provide fish handling development support to some of the most seriously affected fishing and fish-trading families in the key harbours and landing sites of Hambantota, Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts which were badly hit by the tsunami.