More fishers of Yawe district in Kadavu will soon feel the benefit greatly from a solar freezer unit given to the Ministry of Fisheries yesterday by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
In handing over the assistance, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Fiji, Young-kyu Park, said the assistance was another demonstration of continued cooperation on the fisheries sectors between the two countries.
“The handover, like many past bilateral initiatives between Korea and Fiji signifies the fortified bond between the two countries,” Mr Park said.
“The Korean Government, through KOICA, shall continue to further the goals of development cooperation in a mutually beneficial way and administer aid and assistance where it is needed.”
In receiving the donation, Minister for Fisheries, Semi Koroilavesau said that the assistance will benefit the District of Yawe in so many ways.
“The solar freezer will certainly improving fish quality, reduces fuel cost as fish can be stored in freezer for future consumption.
It will generate income for fishing communities thus improving their livelihoods,” Mr Koroilavesau said.
“We thank the Government of Korea for coming in to assist a project that will certainly uplift the living standards of our communities in the coastal and maritime islands.”
The solar freezer project was first initiated in 2017 with the aim to provide communities with the needed assistance to store their catch, improve fish handling and improve livelihood through market access.
Since 2017, the Ministry of Fisheries have installed more than 30 solar units through the assistance of bilateral partners like the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan and FAO.
Mr Koroilavesau added that in the coming months, the ministry hoped to install a few more units through additional government funding and donor agencies.
