Japan funds P60-M aquaculture center in Cam Sur

The food production capability of Bicol will receive a major boost with the establishment of a new P60-million regional aquaculture center in Camarines Sur province. Philippine and Japanese officials will attend the inauguration of the facility on Thursday, the Japanese Embassy said. "The project hopes to provide better alternatives and direction for the development of freshwater resources in the Bicol Region, in order to contribute to the upliftment of the economic status of the Bicolanos and ultimately help in attaining food security targets of the Filipino people," the Japanese Embasy said in its website. According to the Japanese Embassy, a mini-laboratory, mini-feedmill building, fish processing plant, and training hall-cum-dormitory were constructed to upgrade the facilities of the Regional Freshwater Fisheries Center (RFFC). The project, which began in 2007, is a joint project of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) of the Department of Agriculture. Japan has been assisting the RFFC for almost two decades under the KR 2 Program. Japanese Embassy minister for economic affairs Akio Isomata, Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymond Villafuerte and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala will lead the inauguration of the four major facilities under the “RFFC Continuing Capacity Building for Integrated Development of Bicol Freshwater Fisheries Project," the embassy said. The facility, located in Bula town, is a component of the Japan Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers Program (formerly known as 2KR or Japan's Increased Food Production Program). Through the years, the Center has been at the forefront of aquaculture production and served as a training hub on the dissemination of aquaculture technologies in the Bicol Region. "These newly constructed facilities will hopefully address the shortage in aquaculture production, elevate the functions of the RFFC from a mere production based aquaculture service center to a modernized one-stop-shop of freshwater fisheries technologies, thus boosting the overall aquaculture system in the region," the Japanese embassy said. For the past 30 years, the Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers Program has made a positive impact on the livelihood of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk. Japan remains as the top donor of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Philippines, supporting the government's efforts to alleviate poverty and achieve food self-sufficiency. –VVP, GMANews.TV