Sixth fish consumption day a resounding success

THE Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCPT) recently held its 6th Annual National Fish Consumption Day in Kavango West.

Minister of fisheries and marine resources Bernhard Esau said although Namibia is a major fish producing country, its inhabitants were non-consumers of fish. Hence Namibians are missing out on the health benefits of fish.

He further noted that, due to the efforts of the trust, Namibians now consume 13kg of fish compared to 8kg three years ago. The NFCPT distributes about 6 500 tonnes nationally a year.

NFCPT chairwoman Suzan Ndjaleka emphasised that the primary purpose of this year’s theme, ‘The ocean meets the Kavango’ is to allow for the complete integration of Namibia’s citizens into the national economic landscape.

The theme includes the aspiration of an integrated development agenda, where the community should benefit from the freshwater resources as well from the marine resources.

“We trust that with this initiative, we assist in bringing development to the grassroots level, through ensuring that our people, irrespective of geographical location, have access to all resources within the country,” she said.

A market day was also held as part of the event at the Nkurenkuru open market and was filled with a host of activities, from a soccer tournament to donations to the needy, completed by a music bash.

The day also witnessed the NFCPT, Kuiseb Fishing Enterprise and Novanam handing over donations of horse mackerel soup valued at N$50 000, and fish valued at N$34 000 to the Kavango West office of the governor.

The seven-a-side soccer tournament finals held on the same day saw teams competing from schools within all the constituencies in Kavango West.

Tondoro Combined School were overall winners and received soccer equipment and accessories from the NFCPT to the tune of N$1 500.

Each school team player further received one box of 5kg hake fillets, compliments of Tunacor Fishing and one box of 10kg of hake portions from Novanam.

At the same event, Esau echoed that Namibia’s fisheries sector valued at N$10 billion belongs to all Namibians and must benefit all Namibians.

He stressed the importance of hosting the Annual National Fish Consumption Day, in that it encouraged Namibians to eat more fish; to remind people that fisheries is an investment opportunity, where trade of fish can take place through setting up of distribution outlets and acting as agents in the respective communities where people live and thirdly; and that fish resources be managed prudently for the benefit of future generations.

The 7th Annual National Fish Consumption Day 2018, will be held in Kunene.