Fisheries, livestock contribution  to GDP set to increase

THE government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed a memorandum of understanding for Heshimu Bahari Activity, which among other things, will boost the contribution of livestock and fisheries sector to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 10 per cent.

Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mr David Silinde stated that the 5-year project is expected to strengthen fisheries biodiversity in both Mainland and Zanzibar as part of the US government’s efforts to build upon the commitment made during the US-African leadership Summit hosted in Washington DC late last year by President Joe Biden in which President Samia Suluhu was among attendees.

Among such goals, included working with global partners to advance shared climate adaptation and resilience goals.

“We are experiencing a severe climate crisis in this world…extreme climate change is an extra essential to the US as well as the rest of the world,” said the Deputy Minister.

He highlighted that the programme would support Tanzania’s capacity to sustainably manage marine resources and protect coral reefs and help to mitigate the impacts of extreme climate change that has disrupted ecosystems and impacted the tourism potential of the country.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Professor Riziki Shemdoe also noted that the project will prioritise gender equity to address the persistent inequality in the sector, empowering women’s voices in decision-making, and strengthen their economic livelihood opportunities.

According to the PS, advancing women’s economic opportunities is critical to ensuring they realise their full economic potential and that they meaningfully and equally contribute to and benefit from global prospects.

“If women are economically secure, they can invest in their families, communities, economic growth, and create more prosperous and stable societies for everyone.

It is also important for men to uplift women…if we lift up women; we lift up the economy, society. When women succeed, we are all lifted for the better and this is all the Heshimu Bahari Activity will address in Tanzania,” he emphasised.

Prof  Shemdoe said Tanzania is facing challenges such as overfishing and climate change that are affecting the ability to conserve marine and coastal biodiversity and sustainably manage fisheries.

He stated that the efforts would gradually enhance biodiversity; conserve endangered, threatened, and protected species; and sustain fisheries, stressing that the ministry was committed to the success of the USAID Heshimu Bahari Activity.

Chief of Party for the USAID Tanzania Heshimu Bahari Activity, Mr Sadiki Laiser said Tanzania ecosystems were experiencing pressure from overfishing, habitat degradation, and climate change.

These challenges, among others, threaten biodiversity, marine-based livelihoods, and food security throughout coastal Tanzania.

Additionally, women and youths in Tanzania face a variety of barriers to participating in seascape management, benefiting from more lucrative marine-based livelihoods, and adapting to the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change.

He said it was against this backdrop, USAID came up with the Heshimu Bahari Activity to protect marine biodiversity and improve livelihoods.

The project cost 13 million USD equivalent to 30 bn/-, whereby 7 million is provided to women and youths in seaweed, sea cucumber, crabs and sustainable octopus farming, subject to the baseline studies that will inform the viability of these socio-economic