THE Asian Fisheries Academy  (AFA) in Dagupan is hosting a 10-day training course on aquaculture technologies starting on August 24 for 240 people from Mindanao through the Harvest of Hope project of the Global Peace Festival.

Aya Goto, executive director of the Global Peace Festival based in New York, USA, said the project aims to help develop aqua-farming skills among the beneficiaries and help promote peace in the troubled parts of Mindanao.

“We thought this activity is very good for Mindanao peace initiative,” Goto said.

The participants comprise the first batch in a series of seven trainings.

Speaking at the opening program, he underscored the value of their partnership with AFA, the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-National Integrated Fisheries and Technology Development Center (BFAR-NIFTDC), and the Department of Education for the delivery of the project.

Dr. Westly Rosario, interim executive director of NFRDI and center chief of BFAR-NIFTDC, said they are honored to help and serve Mindanaoans,

The training includes the culture of oyster, sea urchin, sea cucumber, saline tilapia, ulang, hito, suati; seafood processing; actual field visits; basic entrepreneurship skills; project financing and management; and peace education.

The AFA, located within the BFAR-NIFTDC complex in Bonuan Bincloc, is considered the country’s best aquaculture institution.

Dr. Estrella Abid-Babano, regional director of the Department of Education region 10 and chair of Mindanao Peace Initiatives, said they expect to transform the lives of the participants, their families and their communities.

“Education is really important and we believe that education is the solution to all the problems in the country like poverty, ignorance and misunderstanding,” she said.#

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