adminWalter Mswazie
FORTY families in Paradza Village under Chief Zimuto area in Masvingo North constituency have benefited from a lucrative fish farming (aquaculture) project which has seen them realising an income of about $7 800 per annum. Speaking during a tour of the co-operative, Sekenende Co-operative Aquaculture Zimbabwe country director Mr Martin Dingwa said the aquaculture project has changed villagers’ quality of life through improving their nutrition and supplementing their income.
He said the organisation provides technical expertise and seed money for the construction of two fish ponds, now home to more than 25 000 fish which are harvested per every six months and the members have also managed to diversify into apiculture (bee keeping), market gardening, piggery and poultry.
“This is a community initiative which came with the engagement that we had with villagers here in Chief Zimuto area. We have similar projects in Mwenezi where villagers are also benefiting. On average the villagers raise an income of about $7 800 per year after selling their fish. We are helping this community till 2017 from 2014 after which they should be able to work on their own,” said Mr Dingwa.
He said members used the money realised from the fish project to embark on other projects as part of diversification and the idea was paying a lot of dividends given the fact that they are now increasing their income.
“In 2015 the group managed to harvest more than 1 000 kg of fish which they sold and shared some among co-operative members. The money realised from their business was used to establish apiculture, poultry and piggery.
“The average price for fish is $3 per kg and besides the challenge of water where there is conflict over the use of water from Sekenende Dam with other community members, the business seems to be lucrative according to our assessment,” he said.
Masvingo North House of Assembly member Cde Davis Marapira hailed the fish project in Zimuto and said Government was committed to help progressive communities.
“This is good way of addressing food security challenges. We support such initiatives where communities are self reliant through engaging in income generating projects like this one. Government is committed to assist with the extension services and as a national assembly member of this constituency I have offered to donate feed for poultry and piggery projects,” said Cde Marapira.
Sekenende Co-operative chairman Mr Shadaya Mugove said the community has benefited much from the project as they have access to nutritional food in the form of fish and they are now realising an income from the initiative.
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