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Elton Manguwo
COMMERCIALISATION of the fish industry is underway with the Government set to establish fish processing sites and markets in provinces and fish production hotspots in line with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Strategy.
The establishment of community gardens that accommodate two fish ponds and the various dam projects currently underway across the country has given birth to many fish hotspots in the country that have the potential to commercialise their operations.
Speaking during an Interview yesterday, director of fisheries in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Mr Milton Makumbe highlighted how the establishment of fish markets and processing centres would assist in growing the industry saying a ready market naturally attracted new players in any industry.
“We are targeting to introduce kapenta in the bulk of the country’s water bodies, as part of plans to grow the fish value chain.
“As the country is seized with developing the fish industry, it is imperative that proper infrastructure is put in place, as this will play a pivotal role in uplifting rural livelihoods in line with achieving an upper-middle-income economy by 2030,” Mr Makumbe stressed.
He further added that the establishment of markets and processing centres put the Government’s thrust of employment creation and rural industrial development from agricultural activities into perspective.
The issuing of fishing commercial licences to 17 cooperatives for Tugwi-Mukosi underlines the Government’s efforts in transforming the fisheries industry in line with modern business practices that are in touch with economic empowerment.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development is looking to grow the number of commercial fish farmers through the Commercial Cage Fisheries programme, which involves the use of cages to grow fish in dams through granted permits to use the country’s various water bodies.
Likewise, to complement the Department of Fisheries, it is also important to capacitate irrigation schemes to produce fish so that there are more volumes of fish for the markets.
The fishing industry in the country is growing through various Government led initiatives such as the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme that is set to restock Zimbabwe’s 1, 200 dams in five years with a view to grow the sector into an important economic contributor.
The Fisheries Department has finalised the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Strategy and is now setting up a Fisheries and Aquaculture Act to provide a legal framework for the sector and affiliating the country into various international charters on fisheries and aquaculture.
Online Reporter