Germany supports modern fish marketing in the North

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 April 2006, 11:47 GMT]
The German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) donated six cooler trucks and six crew cab vehicles as part of its assistance towards the recovery of fishing industry in the NorthEast, a press release issued by the GTZ in Colombo Tuesday said.

Full text of the press release follows:

The German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in cooperation with the Ministry for Nation Building and Development assists the recovery of the fisher folk in North and East. Inside the wide approach of assistance, the specific support of six cooler trucks and six crew cab vehicles was funded by the German NGO World Vision Germany. On 23 April 2006, this modern equipment will be presented to the Jaffna Fisheries Federation and to the Mullaitivu Fisheries Union at the GTZ Operational Unit in Paranthan. The project is implemented in close cooperation with the Department of Fisheries. The improvement of the marketing and transport will enable 5000 fisher families to earn a sustainable income.

Two of the Cooler Trucks are made available to the Mullaitivu Fisheries Union and four to the Jaffna Fisheries Federation. The Jaffna Fisheries Federation will rent out two of the Cooler Trucks to specific Fisheries Societies Cooperatives and Unions in the Jaffna District and the last two will be made available to fisher families in the whole area that can commonly collect their catch and transport it to the markets in the south. The direct marketing leaves the profit in the hands of the fisher folks.

Apart from the Cooler Trucks and Crew Cabs, the project will provide continuing assistance to the fisheries federations: The construction of four cold storage units integrated within fish handling centers with attached furnished offices will be supported. A revolving loan fund will be established through self contribution for boats, nets and accessories. Training and Workshops in Marketing, Management, Customer Service, Fish Handling and Conservation will be conducted by the Department of Fisheries. The improved facilities for fish handling will contribute to the minimization of waste production and improvement of hygienic conditions. The assistance will enable the Fishing Cooperatives Societies, the Unions and the Federations to serve their members in a more efficient and effective way, whilst regular transport of fresh seafood to markets in the south and better marketing will enhance the price.

The German Development Cooperation, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), was the first to provide Cooler Trucks to the Fisheries Unions and Cooperative Societies in the North in order to support the post-conflict recovery of the fishermen in the North and East.

GTZ is an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. For 30 years, it has been providing viable, forward looking solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalized world. GTZ supports complex reform and change processes, often working under difficult conditions. Its corporate objective is to improve people's living conditions on a sustainable basis. GTZ's main client is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).