The Japanese government has pledged $4.7 million to support sustainable fisheries in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), following the signing of an agreement between Japan and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on Tuesday.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya and FAO Representative Lionel Dabbadie formalized the partnership through an exchange of notes during a signing ceremony attended by BARMM Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform Mohammad Yacob.

The two-year initiative, titled The Project for the Development of Sustainable Fishery Value Chains in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, aims to support small-scale aquafarmers and fishers by enhancing their livelihoods and resilience.

The project will focus on three key areas: Strengthening the capacity for innovative aquaculture at both the farmer group and government levels; Assessing capture harvest potential and improving capacity to reduce post-harvest losses of fishery products; and reinforcing aquatic biosecurity, fish health, food safety and halal compliance.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Endo emphasized the importance of building the capacity of local governments and farmers to manage fisheries effectively.