Study Tour in Iceland
This week, the UNU-FTP completed a 10-day long study tour in Iceland targeting high-level partners. Participants in the tour included high-ranking ministry officials, university leaders, and heads of regional fisheries organizations. The main aim of the tour was to explore development potential and collaborations for capacity building in fisheries.
In all, there were 15 participants from 6 partner countries (Vietnam, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Grenada, and Guyana) that took part in this tour, which consisted of lectures, visits to institutions, companies and organizations and discussion sessions. The participants had lectures on the Icelandic fisheries management system and stock assessment, as well as discussions with representatives private sector, HB Grandi, with respect to marketing a diversity of products. There were several site visits included in the study tour, including the Icelandic Coast Guard, the Directorate of Fisheries, a fish auction market, a full day at the Matís food research and bio-technology laboratory, and a visit to Marel, a manufacturer of food processing machinery.
The group then flew to the north of Iceland, where they were welcomed by the University of Akureyri and had a lecture on the value-chain in fisheries. The group toured a number of companies in the north, including Samherji, where they say both white fish and dried fish processing, Promens industrial tub manufacturing, Seigla boat builders, Atlantic Leather, and Ektafiskur. The group also visited Hólar University College, where they were introduced to research on aquaculture in Iceland.
The final day of the tour was spent with the Iceland Ocean Cluster, where the group was presented with cutting edge bio-tech and research projects aimed to create more value from Iceland's fisheries. In the afternoon, the group toured Lysi in Reykjavík, and Codland and Vísir Seafood in Grindavík.
It is hoped that this experience will strengthen our relationships and open up for discussions on the potential for further development in fisheries. After this study tour, participants should be better able to evaluate how their institutions may benefit from the capacity building activities of the UNU-FTP. Over the years, many senior administrators and policy makers have been asking for such a trip to Iceland. The UNU-FTP has been promoting regional and even international cooperation among the partners of the UNU-FTP, and this tour was a good opportunity for that type of networking.
We at the UNU-FTP are grateful for all the companies that opened their doors to us and shared their work with this group, as well as the lecturers who took time to contribute to this tour. We look forward to further communication and collaboration with all the participants from our partner countries.