Report on BARC/ICLARM/USAID Workshop on

Abstract

Fish and fisheries play an important role in the economy, nutrition and employment, in Bangladesh. In recent years, there has been a decline in per caput consumption of fish, which contributes some 71% of total animal protein intake of people of Bangladesh, as the increase in fish production could not keep pace with the increasing population. This has resulted in malnutrition, especially in rural areas. To meet increasing demand for fish, the Government of Bangladesh has set targets for increased production during the first three Five Year Plans. These targets could not be realized, as along with targets, the Government has neither identified the priority growth areas and strategies for their development, nor formulated policies, to reach the goals. However, it was agreed by all, that aquaculture has a major role to play in increasing fish production in Bangladesh. The International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) with financial assistance from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Agricultural Research Project II(Supplement), has been providing technical assistance to Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) and the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI), in aquaculture, a sector which has been given importance by the Bangladesh Government in its development plans. Within this context, a three-day workshop entitled "Inland Aquaculture Development Strategies for Bangladesh", was jointly organized by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) and International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) from 29 September - 01 October 1991.