Dhaka, Mar 08 (V7N) - To address health risks and encourage mass adoption of alternative fish drying technologies, the Department of Fisheries (DoF) and FAO Bangladesh have initiated the distribution of improved drying racks covered with mosquito nets in selected areas of Bangladesh.

The event was attended by Md Abdur Rouf, Director General of the Department of Fisheries, and Martijn Van De Groep, Senior Technical and Policy Advisor at FAO Bangladesh. It was chaired by Md Anwar Hossain, Deputy Director of DoF Chattogram.

As part of this initiative, 93 improved fish drying racks will be distributed across Bangladesh. This effort, under FAO's Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded Pesticide Risk Reduction project, aims to promote sustainable fishing, enhance product quality, and reduce post-harvest losses.

Targeting communities where dry fish production is a primary livelihood.

Providing specialised training on proper usage and maintenance of drying racks.

Conducting workshops on fish drying techniques, hygiene practices, and marketability improvement.

 Abdur Rouf highlighted that the dry fish sector contributes 2.43% to the national GDP, 22.14% to the agricultural GDP, and 1.05% to total national exports. He stressed the need for training and support to equip fishermen with necessary skills and knowledge.

Martijn Van De Groep emphasised the importance of adopting modern fishing technologies, stating that FAO’s sustainable fisheries initiatives will help Bangladesh become a stronger player in the global dry food market.

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