[10/March/2010]
SANA'A, March 10 (Saba) – The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has allocated a grant of $ 35 million to implement projects in field of fisheries in Yemen.

This came in the memorandum of understanding signed here on Wednesday by the Minister of Fisheries Mohamed Shamlan and the Yemen Portfolio Manager at the IFAD Omer Zafar.

The IFAD's grant aimed to improve the fishermen conditions and create job opportunities for the poor fishermen in the fishermen societies as well as assisting fishermen to apply the international conditions relating to the fish quality.

Following the signing, Shamlan stressed the importance of projects to be implemented within the grant program to complete the infrastructure of the fish sector along the coastline.

The most important of those projects are the establishment of breakwaters and landing centers and public sale squares and fish storage facilities and other vital projects needed to the development of fish production, Shamlan added.

He valued the IFAD's steady support to develop the fisheries sector and to enhance its role in ensuring the food security and supporting the national economy.

Furthermore, Shamlan affirmed his ministry's keenness to facilitate the procedures of implementation of those projects included in the grant, so as to improve the economic conditions of the small-scale fishermen and create job opportunities in the coastal provinces.

For her part, the IFAD's reprehensive in Yemen Fathia Bahran said that recent studies conducted by IFAD revealed a decline in numbers of some fish species of economic value, a matter which requires implanting programs and plans to preserve those species.

BA

Saba