Fishermen in Lautoka will now be able to preserve their catch and improve their income and livelihoods after the handing over of a $1.3 million ice making machine from Japan to the Ministry of Fisheries through its Economic Social Development Programme (ESDP) at the Lautoka Fisheries Port today.
First Secretary of Japan, Yamada Yosuke says the ice making machine aims to complement the existing Japanese support to the Ministry of Fisheries in Lautoka and more importantly promote disaster resilience and food security in nearby communities.
Yosuka says this project will enable fishermen in the area to preserve their catch and add value, which improves the fishermen’s income and livelihoods.
He says this assistance was one of the Disaster Risk Reduction related projects worth approximately $17 million which is aimed to promote disaster resilience in communities and food security in the aftermath of natural disasters.
He adds the other two disaster related equipment that will be handed over at a later date will include the provision of tsunami earlier warning systems to the National Disaster Management Office and a dredger for the Ministry of Waterways.
