Chapter 5 Feasibility Study
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CHAPTER 5 FEASIBILITY STUDY CHAPTER 5 FEASIBILITY STUDY 5-1 Approach 5-1-1 Changes In Situations Surrounding The Study The feasibility study was re-started in 2002 after an interval of two years since the Master Plan was formulated in 2000. In the meantime, the surrounding situation of artisanal fisheries of Guinea underwent various changes. The major changes are as follows: International environment The World Summit25 held in Johannesburg from August to September 2002 with the theme of environment and development focused on a major issue of reducing poverty in developing countries. At the same time, this Summit pointed out excessive exploitation of global fishery resources and declared the need for sustainable fishery development promotion in the future. The declaration contributed to controlling unregulated fishing by massive fisheries and confirming the policy of promoting orderly utilization of fishery resources aiming enhance natural regenerative forces. Issue of tense national boundaries In September 2000 rebel forces of the Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone invaded Guinea and the invasion intermittently lasted until January 2002. At a certain time during that period, nearly 500,000 refugees entered the Guinea Forest Region and Forécariah prefecture. Despite relief activities conducted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), various nations’ governmental organizations and NGOs, national border areas remained unstable. In 2001 in Sierra Leone, a peace pact was reached with the anti-government insurgent group and in Liberia a general election was held in the Guinea Forest Region, regaining equanimity. However, in September 2002 another insurgent activity occurred in the neighboring country of Ivory Coast, bringing about another flow of refugees to the Guinea Forest Region. Changes in domestic economy In the latter half of 1990s the Guinean economy was growing steadily. GDP posted growth of 4.6% in 1998 and 4.5% in 1999. However, because of inflow of refugees and rebel soldiers from neighboring countries as mentioned above, many people in this region had to evacuate and the country incurred great damages to physical as well as human resources. As a result, in 2000 the growth rate of the first industry was minus 1%, a large setback from the previous year, which posted plus 7.9%. Subsequently, after 2001 this region started to regain stability as well as economic growth and it is expected to make a growth of 3.6% in 2001 and 4.2% in 2002. However, due to increased destabilizing factors caused by escalating military activities in the Ivory Coast since September 2002, the future situation is unpredictable. 25 International Summit regarding sustainable development. (August 26th – September 4th, 2002) 5 - 1 Intensification of quality control and sanitary supervision of fishery products by EU In recent years, the EU has been intensifying sanitary supervision of developing countries and with a view to establish import environment for fishery products with quality in accordance with HACCP, EU has been conducting, by sending study teams to various regions of Africa, detailed inspection and assessment of fisheries landing facilities, fishery product processing facilities, transportation facilities, sanitary inspection systems, etc. of various countries. Such a study team was sent to the Republic of Guinea in October 2000. As a result, the EU issued recommendations to instruct facility improvement to almost all fishery product-processing factories of the country. At the same time, it made a judgment, with respect to fisheries landing facilities, that fishing port facilities except for the Boulbine Fishing Port are not sanitarily appropriate to handle fishery product for import and recommended to improve sanitary conditions. Export drive of fishery product Export of fish by artisanal fisheries as of 2000 was implemented in the form of air transport of fresh fish. However, exporting methods were diversified afterwards and the export of frozen small croaker and sole especially to Asia (South Korea) was expanded. This is thanks to an increase in the export of frozen fishery product as a result of private fishery companies’ efforts in expanding areas of pick-up, providing materials and equipment, instructing the use of ice and methods of maintaining freshness to fishing people and reinforcing quality inspections. On the other hand, several export companies were established, bringing about competition among them in pursuit of securing high-quality fishery products. As a result, artisanal fishing people have come to enjoy transactions with more advantageous prices than before due to increased sales prices, etc. Utilization of unused fishery resources The recent study of natural resources confirmed the existence of black tiger shrimp in the Guinean offshore and a slight increase in tiger prawn. Also, the study confirmed the existence of unused resources of cephalopod such as common cuttlefish and octopus. With a view to realize efficient exploitation of these resources, the Fishery Ministry advocates their active development in the Industrial Fishing Implementation Plan of 2003. Implementation of PPTE of the World Bank The World Bank has decided to implement, beginning 2003, debt repayment grace to heavily indebted poor countries and a domestic utilization of the repayment fund. The Guinean fishery industry is allocated US$20million and has started selecting businesses to be implemented with this fund, establishing targeted figures and formulating implementing plans. The plan includes varied operations such as maintenance of access roads to fishing communities, fishing facilities at coasts and the nurturing of fish farmers. From now on the specific plans will be implemented. Trend of fishery-related assistance FAO initiated in 1999 SFLP (Sustainable Fisheries Livelihood Program) for promoting artisanal fishermen in 25 countries of the western African region. Guinea is one of such countries and several small-scale fishery projects are currently being implemented. Also, it is planned in 2002 through financing by the African Development Bank, to establish a system 5 - 2 to lend materials and equipment to artisanal fishermen and to develop infrastructure. The first of such plans includes the establishment of a bridge in Bongoron in 2003. 5-1-2 Background of the Plan BSD (Beurau de Stratégie et de Développement: Strategy Development Room) under the supervision of the Guinean Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture has established a basic development policy to realize development of the fishery industry in Guinea by a target of 2010. This policy formulates a main aim of increasing per capita consumption of fishery product to an annual 17 kg by 2010. To achieve this goal, it was preconditioned to formulate specific plans on the following six items, which were summarized in line with the Master Plan of the artisanal fishery industry development plan. 1) Improvement of fishing technology (Plan to improve fishing equipment and methods) 2) Establishment of fishery industry support facilities (Kenian Fish Market Development Plan) 3) Aquaculture Center development plan (Forest Guinea Region) 4) Inland water fisheries distribution improvement plan 5) Smoking improvement plan 6) Establishment of the Fishery Development Fund However, two years have already passed since the Master Plan was formulated. In the meantime, domestic as well as the international situation underwent changes as mentioned above. Furthermore, individual plans faced the following changes. Namely, 2) for the development of fishery support facilities (Kenian Fish Market Development Plan) Japan International Cooperation Agency conducted a basic engineering study beginning April 2002 and the construction was scheduled to start in 2003 as a grant aid project by the Japanese Government. While, 3) the Aquaculture Center Development Plan (Forest Guinea Region) is still faced with uncertain factors, leaving the situation difficult for conducting safe study. For these two projects the study team dispatched by JICA for resuming the study in July 2002 and the Guinea Fishery Ministry confirmed the following changes in the content of the study. That is, for the establishment of artisanal fisheries support facilities, the study shall be implemented in two places; namely, facility development of Koukoudé in Boffa prefecture, the biggest fishing village in Guinea, and of Kaporo fishing port in the Ratoma region of Conakry City where the neighboring population is increasing remarkably. On the other hand, in the field of inland water aquaculture, Mamou and Dalaba prefectures in Middle Guinea are selected for the study. Furthermore, after starting the study in October 2002, the following facts came to light. Namely, even though there used to be concerns over the deterioration in the motorization rate of fishing boats due to aging outboard motors and delayed renewal, fishermen have gradually started buying outboard motors thanks to the introduction of a lending system for fishermen offered by domestic financial institutions and it has been confirmed that results are promising. 5 - 3 As a result, it was decided that the feasibility study would target the following items: Fishing Equipment and Methods Research and Development Project Establishment of fishery industry support facilities Koukoudé Fishing Community Facility Development Project New Kaporo Fish Landing Facility Development Project Project for Development of Inland Water Aquaculture (Middle Guinea) Project