CAOPA sent a letter to their fisheries ministers, to international and regional organisations, to several MEPs and to the EU representation in Dakar reminding them of the importance of the sector for food security
The African Confederation of Professional Organisations of Artisanal Fisheries (CAOPA) has called upon technical and financial partners to ensure measures are taken to help artisanal fisheries continue their activities during the coronavirus crisis. In their letter, they remind the importance of their sector for food security in Africa and underscore how the actions to combat the epidemic are affecting all actors of the artisanal fish value chain in Africa, especially for women who are the most vulnerable. They explain that compliance with some of the instructions is particularly difficult for fisheries as each step of the value chain requires close contact among the workers.
CAOPA calls the African governments for urgent action in consultation with the sector so that fishermen can pursue their activities and highlights how in many African countries professional organisations have been raising awareness on the importance of compliance with hygiene measures. However, the lack of sanitation facilities and preventive kits in many artisanal fishing communities remains a challenge. For them, this crisis should also be an opportunity to improve in the long-term the hygiene and working conditions for men and women in the artisanal fish value chain.
Compliance with measures in place to fight COVID-19 is particularly challenging for the fisheries sector, as workers are in close contact all along the value chain. Photos: Aliou Diallo/REJOPRA
The letter was sent to the fisheries ministers of all the countries where CAOPA has members, to African Union, ECOWAS, WAEMU and other regional organisations representatives, to FAO and EU representatives and to key individual Members of the European Parliament.
More information:
Report on the contribution of fisheries to food security by the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
Download their letter
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