DHAKA: The European Union (EU) delegation to Bangladesh organized a consultative workshop on Wednesday to explore the potential for EU-Bangladesh cooperation in the aquaculture sector and exchanging views among representative counterparts.
This was disclosed through a press release in the afternoon.
The workshop, attended by aquaculture experts, assessed the potential of the sector by verifying farmer/industry needs, identifying research and development innovation priorities of mutual benefit in support of these needs and developing a possible agenda or road map for the follow-up.
Dr Patrick Sorgeloos, Emeritus Professor of aquaculture at Ghent University of Belgium, led the discussion where Director General of Fisheries, country representatives from FAO and World Fish, presented different aspects of the aquaculture sector of Bangladesh including its relevance to the food security and nutrition.
The workshop was actively attended by academics and business leaders involved in the aquaculture sector.
In his introductory address, Frédéric Maduraud, Deputy Head of Mission, Delegation of EU to Bangladesh, said the consultative workshop on aquaculture was a continuation of the process which allows Bangladeshi researchers and business sector to avail the opportunities offered by EU through its different instruments.
The workshop presentations focused on challenges and interests in seafood security issues in Europe and Asia, identification of common areas of interest and scope for cooperation with Bangladesh; EU instruments for international cooperation, and European Aquaculture technology and Innovation platform EATiP (European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation platform).
The participants, through a panel of experts, came up with recommendations to be followed up in further developing the aquaculture sector in Bangladesh.
The EU side invited the representatives of the sector present in the workshop to establish a national aquaculture platform to ensure the follow-up activities.
BDST: 1754 HRS, JUN 24, 2015
SR/RR