IPB University’s Farmers and Fishermen Center Trains Fishermen to Make Fish Aggregating Devices on Anakao Island, Madagascar

Farmers and Fishermen Center (TNC) of IPB University collaborates with the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum, Padjajaran University (UNPAD) and the University of Toliara to support the development of fishermen in Anakao Island, Madagascar. This was done by organizing a training on “Sustainable Small Scale Fisheries” held on Anakao Island, Madagascar, North Africa.

Vice Chief of TNC IPB University, Dr Roza Yusfiandayani, welcomed the cooperation program. She said that the development of fishing communities on Anakao Island, Madagascar is a challenge for TNC IPB University as a form of international community service.

“The training program held for four days was attended by 50 fishermen, consisting of 38 male fishermen and 12 female fishermen. We teach and train fishermen to make sedentary Fish Aggregating Device (FADs) whose FAD-making materials are on Anakao Island,” said Dr Roza.

“We are very proud to be able to contribute to the development of the fishing community on Anakao Island, because this is also a challenge for us as an agency that needs to provide tangible manifestations to the world community,” she said.

Program Director of Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum, Riny Modaso thanked IPB University, UNPAD and University of Toliara for supporting this program by training and teaching Anakao Island fishermen to make FADs.

According to her, FADs can help small-scale fishermen in Anakao Island as an eco-friendly and sustainable fishing tool to be able to collect fish and the fishermen’s catch becomes optimum.

“Anakao Island is predominantly populated by fishermen, so it is very fitting that the development is to the community of fishermen groups. Therefore, for the first step of cooperation is to train and teach fishermen to make FADs using materials available on Anakao Island,” she said.

Honoiri, one of the fishermen of Anakao, Madagascar expressed his gratitude to IPB University which has helped many Madagascar fishermen to teach them how to make FADs. “I am very happy and enthusiastic about getting new knowledge and hope that IPB University can come back to Madagascar to be able to provide other innovations,” he said.

In addition, Roza also introduced the innovation of portable FADs to the Ministers and delegates of The 8th Senior Official Meeting (SOM). The Ambassador of Bahrain said that this portable FAD innovation is an innovation that can be directly applied to fishermen. (IAAS/ANF)