Saudi Arabia has been chosen as the sponsor for the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation, announced by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (IYAFA) 2022.
According to the tweet by the ministry, “Saudi Arabia is the major sponsor of the International Year of Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022”.
As per the ministry, the goals of the IYAFA 2022 are providing new job opportunities for the youth, increasing the growth rates of the fishery sector, enhancing the sector’s role in achieving food security, improving the quality of life in countryside communities, increasing the current production to meet the global needs for seafood, and encouraging organizations to face climate change and manage natural resources for water planting.
According to the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdul Rahman Al-Fadli, Saudi Arabia has been working with prominent companies and providing a solid infrastructure to boost production and marketing opportunities.
The minister further said that the sponsorship would increase the investment in the sector.
The minister shared the statement soon after the conclusion of the Saudi International Marine and Exhibition Conference in Riyadh.
Head of the National Fisheries Development Program, Al-Fadli, said that the Kingdom’s increasing population and unfriendly practices to the marine environment are the factors that should prompt to achieve food security to develop the fish farming industry.
So far, Kingdom has spent around SR 1 billion ($266.6 million). The amount has been distributed among localization, infrastructure, research as the sector hold a significant place in increasing exports and the gross domestic product.
