Government releases Blueprint for Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries (with photos/video)
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The Blueprint outlines the Government's and the trade's overall vision and work targets for the sustainable development of agriculture and fisheries. The Blueprint proposes various initiatives to promote the upgrading and transformation of the agricultural and fisheries industries towards modernisation and sustainable development, to integrate with the development plan of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and to enhance the quality, quantity, and output value of local agricultural and fisheries products in the long run.
At the launching ceremony of the Blueprint today, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said, "Hong Kong's agriculture and fisheries industries have a rich and significant history, deeply rooted in the local cultural heritage. The Government has all along attached great importance to the development of local agriculture and fisheries industries. It was mentioned in the Chief Executive's 2022 and 2023 Policy Addresses that the Environment and Ecology Bureau will work hand in hand with the agriculture and fisheries industries to formulate the Blueprint, demonstrating our determination to promote the development of the local agriculture and fisheries industries."
The Blueprint seeks to promote the sustainable development of the agriculture and fisheries industries in the direction of industrialisation, covering areas such as infrastructure support, financial support, application of technology, human resources and training, fostering development of trade organisations, improving operating environment, industrial diversification, opportunity creation, etc. Major initiatives include:
- Developing deep sea mariculture;
- Promoting modernised aquaculture;
- Planning for establishing fisheries protection areas;
- Promoting development of offshore fisheries;
- Designating Agricultural Priority Areas;
- Implementing the Agricultural Park project;
- Introducing urban farming;
- Facilitating construction of multi-storey enclosed livestock farms; and
- Developing leisure farming and fisheries.
Since the commencement of the formation of the Blueprint, the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department have participated in nearly 20 consultation activities, reaching out to hundreds of stakeholders in the agriculture and fisheries sectors to understand the problems faced by the trade and to listen to their views, in order to formulate a forward-looking Blueprint that meets the needs of the trade. Mr Tse expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Legislative Council Member of the Agriculture and Fisheries Constituency, Mr Steven Ho, and representatives of the trade for their active participation in the formulation of the Blueprint and for their valuable insights during the consultation period.
The Government will join hands with the trade to progressively implement the initiatives set out in the Blueprint in accordance with the action agenda, to realise the sustainable development of the agriculture and fisheries industries, to attract young people to join the industry and to continue to provide the people of Hong Kong with quality local agricultural and fisheries products as well as employment opportunities.
Full text of the Blueprint has been uploaded to the websites of the Environment and Ecology Bureau (www.eeb.gov.hk/food/en/our_work/afblueprint.html) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (www.afcd.gov.hk/A&Fblueprint.html).
Ends/Thursday, December 14, 2023
Issued at HKT 18:29
Issued at HKT 18:29
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Government releases Blueprint for Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries