Need to give Nigeria’s aquatic sector adequate attention

The Nigeria fisheries sector is an essential part of the country’s economic diversification plan hence recent stakeholders dialogue on the sector’s transformation and adequate attention. JOHN OBA reports.

The UN High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) recently concluded that fish is “crucial to any debate and action to reduce poverty and improve food security and nutrition.

In Nigeria, the fisheries industry is a major economic sector, estimated to employ over 8.6 million people directly and a further 19.6 million indirectly, 70% of whom are women.

According to experts, Nigeria currently produces over 1 million metric tons of fish, leaving a deficit of over 800,000 metric tons, which is imported annually. Recognizing the importance of fish within the agriculture sector for its potential contribution to alleviating poverty, improving food and nutrition security, reducing youth unemployment and building profitable business ventures. Both fisheries and aquaculture are gaining increased attention in both the public and private sectors.

Past strides

It has been reported that the Nigeria aquaculture sector has grown over 12% annually in the last 35 years, revealing that it has grown from a little over 6,000 metric tons in 1980 to nearly 307,000 metric tons in 2016. 

Also Nigeria is the largest aquaculture fish producer in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 52% of the total farmed fish production in the region.

Yet with the increase in fish production in Nigeria, it still imports 45% of its net import. According to WorldFish, an organization that focus on the transformation of the fish sector, said the fish trade deficit increased from 350,000 metric tons to nearly 2 million metric tons between 2000 and 2011, before declining to 940,000 metric tons in 2013. 

It further predicted that if other factors affecting fish demand such as fish price and consumer preference remain unchanged, demand in the early 2020s will be 600,000 metric tons higher than in the mid-2010s, because of income and population growth and that If the current trend is maintained, aquaculture production in the early 2020s will be 150,000 metric tons higher than in the mid-2010s. This will only cover a quarter of the 600,000 metric tons of increased demand, resulting in a 450,000-metric ton demand-supply gap. 

While Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), has a slightly different statistics, it stated in it’s report that with an estimated Nigeria total fish imports amounts to about $1.2 billion and exports valued at $284 390 million in 2013. In 2014, 713 036 were reported as engaged in inland fisheries with 21% of this total women. 15% of the total 764 615 people engaged in other fisheries were women in 2014.


Dialogue

In the light of the challenges Nigeria fish sector is faced with and in preparation for the upcoming United Nations Food Systems Summit, the Federal ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), WorldFish and other stakeholders met in Abuja to discuss the various challenges confronting the nation towards attaining food sufficiency, especially in respect to the role of fish in food and nutrition and as a source of wealth.

The Dialogue tilted: “Dialogue On Transformation And Future Of Aquatic Systems In Nigeria,” brought together Fisheries and Aquaculture professionals, Researchers, Private sectors, Civil societies, Policy makers, Health and nutrition experts, finance and divers stakeholders in the fisheries and aquaculture subsector. 

Stakeholders efforts

Declaring the dialogue open, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono represented by Dr Ime S. Umoh, appreciated the efforts and commitment made by various stakeholders towards ensuring that the dialogue was a reality, despite the time constraints and the challenges posed by the covid-19 pandemic.

 The minister underscored the importance of fish as sources of protein for human diet, containing the relevant nutrients which is normally absent in several food sold on the market, and therefore stressed that fish remains a potent weapon in solving nutritional and food challenges in the country.

Several challenges

According to him, “Despite the potential impacts of the fisheries and aquaculture resources, the sector is however confronted with numerous challenges including high cost of inputs, use of unimproved breeds in aquaculture, need for improved access to finance, which are affecting the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The aim of the dialogue is therefore to deepen our understanding of these challenges while also proffering noteworthy recommendations that would leverage aquatic food systems capacity to contribute to the attainment of SDGs in Nigeria in the coming years. 

“It is the vision of the president to grow the agricultural sector, and to also achieve food sufficiency through the kind of agriculture that drives home growth, enhance the achievements of food and nutritional security, create employment, and transform Nigeria into a leader in food and fish producer, thereby generating wealth for millions of people. 

“It is therefore important to mention that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture under the present Administration is pursuing a holistic approach to the development of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sub-Sector through the diversification programme of Mr President along the value chain process. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is therefore willing to engage and partner with all stakeholders for the development of the sector for economic development, wealth and job creation as well as food and nutrition security” he stated.

Earlier, the permanent secretary, federal ministry of agriculture and rural development Dr Ernest Umakhihe, represented by the Deputy Director and Head of Aquaculture Division. Mr. Istifanus Pwaspo, in his opening remarks expressed delight at the program as it aims to brought together Fisheries and Aquaculture professionals, Researchers, Private sectors, Civil societies, Policy makers, Health and nutrition experts, finance and divers stakeholders in the fisheries and aquaculture subsector. 

Umakhihe pointed out that within his short stay in the ministry, he has found out that fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector one of the most important aspect, providing wealth and job creation, contributing to food and nutrients needs, and investment opportunities, especially during the pandemic.

Dr Ernest said, “as you are aware, the contribution of the Fisheries and Aquaculture sub-sector to the Nigerian economy and the on-going Economic Sustainability Plan of Mr. President is very significant in terms of employment, income generation, poverty alleviation, foreign exchange earnings and provision of raw materials for the animal feed industry. It is estimated that over 10million Nigerians are actively engaged in primary and secondary fisheries operations. The contribution of fisheries to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is about 4.5%”

“I wish to place on record that the vision of Mr. President is to grow Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector to achieve a hunger-free nation through Agriculture that drives income growth, accelerates food production to address the food and nutritional security, and transform Nigeria into a leading player in global food/fish market to reduce importation in a short, medium and long term basis.

“Permit me to mention that fish is one of the cheapest and predominant sources of animal protein in Nigeria. It accounts for about 50% of total animal protein consumed in Nigeria with per caput consumption of 17.5 Kg /person/year. In this regard, the total demand for fish is 3.6 million tons annually while Nigeria is producing 1.1million tons from all sources (Aquaculture, artisanal and Industrial sectors) leaving a deficit of about 2.5 million tons to be supplemented by importation” he concluded

Mrs Olushola Idowu, the permanent secretary at the federal ministry of Budget and National Planning  commended the organizers of the program as it aims to deepen cooperations between the stakeholders but lamented that aquatic foods are often overlooked as a source of food which, at times lead to malnutrition.  

She further stated that in collaboration with the federal ministry of agricultural and rural development and with the support of International Forum For Agricultural Development (IFAD), a local government and rural communities dialogue in eight states as part of several efforts to promote inclusiveness.