Bangladesh has called upon the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to include Bangladesh in its Blue Economy Initiative.
Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Muhammed Sayedul Hoque made the request as he called on the director general of FAO Jose Graziano Da Silva at his office in Rome on 9 June, said a statement released in Dhaka yesterday.
The minister was attending the 31st session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) in Rome.
Blue Economy Initiative is recently gaining popularity across the world. It is an integrated development strategy for fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism and ecosystem, preserving the local production and consumption system.
The minister also called for expanding cooperation in fish feed and seed development programs with special focus on climate change.
In this regard, he argued Bangladesh is a riverine country, which has a vast coastal line with an ample scope for marine fisheries development.
DG of FAO Graziano had expressed his satisfaction over the ongoing FAO projects in Bangladesh.
He also agreed to further deepen collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock with a special focus on climate change and blue growth initiative.
FAO is now implementing 25 projects in Bangladesh with a cost of US$85m. The projects include agriculture production, livestock and fisheries sector development and animal disease control, says the statement.