It was with great enthusiasm that the men and women who braise fish in the city of Douala welcomed the training workshop organised for them on Monday 14 November 2022 by the Caisse de Développement de la Pêche Maritime (CDPM), in collaboration with the Délégation Régionale du Ministère de l’Elevage des Pêches et des Industries Animales (MINEPIA) and the SPHINGE consultancy specialising in several sectors, including agri-food. Dr NGOANDE Salvador, Executive Secretary of the CDPM, emphasised that the aim of the training was to introduce made-in-Cameroon aquaculture fish into the ember circuits, making it an alternative if not the main raw material for ember professionals.

A number of points were raised during the discussions, including the nutritional value of aquaculture fish, preparation and cooking techniques using appropriate spices, compliance with good hygiene practices to ensure that customers are presented with a product that is safe to eat, and the ease with which tilapia and catfish produced in ponds, above-ground tanks and floating cages can be sourced. On this subject, the producers reassured us that the raw material was available and could be obtained at reasonable cost. Entrepreneurship in the aquaculture sector was also encouraged, with a number of financing options proposed by the Livestock and Fish Farming Value Chain Development Project (PD-CVEP).

After this highly instructive theoretical phase, the 26 participants were given aprons bearing the words “POISSON BRAISE 237: Taste – Hygiene – Quality”. Now it was time for the practical phase. First of all, groups were formed and work equipment was distributed to them: Freshwater fish (catfish and tilapia), charcoal stoves for braising and spices and herbs for seasoning. Then came the demonstration itself, how to kill the catfish without stressing it, how to wash it to remove all its mucus, how to combine the spices to season it and the quality (temperature) of the fire so that it is cooked to perfection. After several hours in the oven and over the coals, the participants enjoyed the fish they had braised themselves.

At the end of this training workshop, the participants received certificates from the organisers to mark their participation in this event.

Kaltoumata DEIDEI and AYI AMOUGUI née BISSA EFFALA Emilienne Christiane (Managers at CELCOM-MINEPIA)