KWIHAZA
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Rwanda
World Fisheries Day is
observed annually on November 21st to highlight the importance of sustainable
fisheries management and to draw attention to the critical role of small-scale
fishers in ensuring food security and livelihoods for millions around the world.
This year's theme was “Celebrating the Wealth of Fisheries and Aquaculture.”
In Rwanda, the Fish
Gastronomic Event was held on November 30, 2023 in recognition of the World
Fisheries Day.
The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Agriculture
and Animal Resources, the European Union Delegation to Rwanda, the Luxembourg
Development Cooperation Agency (LuxDev) and the Belgian development agency
(Enabel), to showcase the culinary abilities of Rwandan and international chefs
in preparation of fish dishes as part of a campaign to encourage fish
consumption in Rwanda.
The event provided a
platform for exchange of contacts, knowledge, and skills among chefs,
restaurant and hotel managers, culinary art instructors and TVET students. It
also brought together chefs exhibiting different fish cooking skills with
different recipes made with fish found in Rwandan waters or easily available
from the region.
During the event, the
EU Head of Delegation, Ambassador Belén Calvo Uyarra together with Enabel’s
Resident Representative, Dirk Deprez welcomed the guests and pointed out that
Kwihaza project as a joint effort with the government of Rwanda contributing towards
the transformation of Rwanda’s food systems, focusing on the fisheries,
aquaculture production as well as improving consumption of nutritious and
healthy diet.
In his remarks, the
Permanent Secretary of MINAGRI commended the efforts of Team Europe Initiative
in increasing awareness on fish cooking and consumption and promoting the
fisheries and aquaculture sector support by the Rwandan government and
stakeholders.
Rwanda’s per capita
fish consumption is presently at 2.3 kilograms per person per year, the average
sub-Sahara per capita consumption of 6.6 kilograms per person per annum, and
the global average of 16.6 kilos.
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