Indonesia holding training on fish cultivation for Africa delegates

The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is organizing a tilapia and catfish cultivation training program for 20 delegates coming from 10 countries in Africa.

Head of KKP's Marine and Fisheries Counseling and Human Resources Agency, I Nyoman Radiarta, explained that the cultivation of tilapia and catfish was chosen as the main focus at the request of the delegates.

"The Indonesian government initially asked the participants what they wished to learn. They then expressed keenness to learn how to cultivate tilapia and catfish. Hence, we are accommodating their interests," he remarked in Badung, Bali, on Monday.

The training program, launched today, is drawing the participation of delegates from Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Each country sends two participants.

Radiarta noted that the training, which will be held until September 14, provides the multinational participants with an opportunity to join both indoor theoretical lessons and a field trip to three locations in Bali Province, including Sulahan Village of Bangli District.

In the district, the KKP will introduce the 20 delegates to cultivators of tilapia and catfish. The delegates will also get to visit locals who prepare tilapia broodstock and their seeds.

As for the last stop, the ministry will bring the delegates to witness the production of maggots as a fish diet.

"This means that we are aiming to provide comprehensive training to the participants, from upstream to downstream. This initiative acts as a manifestation of the South-South cooperation we have been implementing since 2009," he highlighted.

The official further underlined that the fisheries sector had been contributing significantly to Africa's economy, noting that the sector is closely related to food resilience and the livelihood of Africans.

Apart from capacity-building, Indonesia-Africa cooperation also encompasses the exports of Indonesian fishery products to African states to help them meet their needs.

He also revealed that the KKP is planning to visit the 10 African countries after the training to assess the extent of its impacts.