Speakers at a workshop on Sunday underscored the need for establishing effective organisations to help overcome various problems being faced by the country’s small fish farmers. According to them, small fish farmers are significantly contributing to the country’s economy, helping in poverty reduction and meeting nutritional requirements, but they are facing many problems where such organisations can help them overcome their problems. They made the observations at the regional workshop on ‘Strengthening, Empowering and Sustaining Small Scale Fish Farmers Association in Asia’ held at a city hotel. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation jointly organised the programme. Fisheries and Livestock Minister Muhammed Sayedul Hoque, MP attended the programme as the chief guest. Presided over by BSFF chairman Syed Mahmudul Huq, the programme was also attended, among others, by Director General of Department of Fisheries Syed Arif Azad, FAO representative in Dhaka Sue Lautze, policy adviser of BSFF Ambassador Liaquat Ali Choudhury and Aquaculture Officer, Aquaculture Branch of FAO Headquarters Dr Mohammad R Hasan. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sayedul Hoque said the fisheries and aquaculture sector has been making an important contribution to the country’s economic growth. He said currently the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is 3.65 per cent and 60 per cent of the national animal protein consumption while 11 per cent of the country’s population are employed in the sector. The minister said the government is committed to ensure that fisheries and aquaculture sector continues to play a major role in accelerating growth. “We believe that the sector’s performance is crucial to rural income generation and poverty alleviation,” he said, adding that they are working to improve nutritional status of the country’s people and the economic wellbeing of fish farmers. “We are working on a comprehensive strategy for the development of the sector which recognises the importance of creating an enabling pro-growth policy environment for the sector,” he added. The minister also expressed the hope that such workshop will help generate fruitful ideas or put forward a set of recommendations for the betterment of the sector. Mr Mahmudul Huq said FAO and BSFF have a long tradition of working together to facilitate and promote actions in order to accelerate the growth of hugely potential fisheries and aquaculture sector in Bangladesh. “I hope the country’s small fish farmers will significantly benefit from this workshop,” he added. In the workshop, presentations of country papers on Bangladesh, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan highlighted key prerequisites for success of farmers’ associations. The presentations also identified concrete organisational and managerial issues which should be addressed to ensure the sustainability of small farmers’ associations.