Nkosentsha Khumalo
The yearning for aquatic abundance is no a tale in Zimbabwe, as key players in the fisheries and aquaculture sector cast their line into the waters for sustainability, aiming to reel in a FISH4ACP project, a life-changing opportunity to enhance food security, economic prosperity, and job creation in the nation.
Zimbabwe key tilapia fish players in fisheries and aquaculture sector have set up a FISH4ACP project which seeks to set priorities to strengthen the country’s tilapia fish value chain and enhance food security.
FISH4ACP is an initiative of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) a national organisation based on contributing to food and nutrition security, economic prosperity and job creation by ensuring the economic, social and environmental sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture value chains in Africa.
In a statement, The Deputy Minister in the Ministry of lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Honourable Douglas Karoro said Zimbabwe has seen a fair amount of investment in fish farming especially through development partners and private sector.
“These investments however have achieved varying degrees of success and have not yet fullly taped into the country’s full fish and aquaculture production potential” said Karoro.
“As demonstrated with all other farming enterprises, the value chain approach helps in pinpointing where in the chain interventions are needed ” he added
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Sub-regional Coordinator for Southern Africa and FAO Representative of Zimbabwe Patrice Talla said access to tilapia in Zimbabwe should not be a luxury product as it currently is.
“Zimbabwe requires a consensus of effort as we seek to transform the food systems and better people’s livelihoods while sustainably managing the environment” said Talla.
“As anchored in FAO’s strategic framework on four betters, in this sector we are committed to ensuring that there is a better environment and better livelihoods enshrined through tilapia fish farming and the fisheries sector at large” she added.
Matobo District Fish Farmers Association (MDFFA) Chairperson, who is also the Matobo Project Coordinator, Thembani Ngwenya during an interview with Zim GBC News said the main aim is to increase the production of tilapia farming in all corners of the country especially in Matabeleland.
“According to my statistics, we have 11 members fully participating in Matobo District, some include Ward 1,8,10,17,19,24 and ward 25” said Ngwenya.
He said tilapia fish are kept only for 6 months before selling them as female tilapia fish breed whilst the males do not.
Ngwenya continued to add that fish farmers are advocating for the government to enact a fish farming act .
Upon setting priorities for a sustainable tilapia value chain, fish farmers agreed that tilapia can provide not only food security but also income generating opportunities for farmers including women and youths.
There was a general consensus that for this to be possible, there is need for creating and enabling environment policy reforms to address the challenges identified in the tilapia value chain.
Zim GBC News ©2024