adminSimbarashe Musukumidzwa
“Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach them how to grow fish…” and the saying goes on and on. After a study into the Zimbabwean aquatic agriculture, I have made several conclusions, the most important being a niche profit potential to those who take the dare.
Aquaculture in Zimbabwe is an untapped market.
The definition of aquaculture is understood to mean the farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. Farming implies some form of intervention in the rearing process to enhance production, such as regular stocking, feeding and protection from predators. Farming also implies individual or corporate ownership of stock being cultivated. (FAO, 2006). Enough about definitions, let’s get to the cases.
World aquaculture production is increasing much more rapidly than animal husbandry and capture fisheries, the other two sources of animal protein for the world’s population.
There is a new consciousness that aquatic production from capture fisheries is nearing its peak thus aquaculture will become an important part of fish source.
Zimbabwe being a landlocked country, its main source of protein is from animal husbandry. The increase in health consciousness is leading people to white meat, thus increasing the demand for fish.
For statistical purposes, aquatic organisms that are harvested by an individual or corporate body that has owned them throughout their rearing period contribute to aquaculture while aquatic organisms that are exploitable by the public as a common property resource, with or without appropriate licences, are the harvest of fisheries. (FAO, 2006)
The two essential factors that together distinguish aquaculture from capture fisheries are:
Intervention to enhance the stock.
Ownership of the stock.
A lot of people have been asking me to contact an aquaculture training programme, but I have been reluctant because I needed the training to be contacted by a Zimbabwean with extensive aquaculture knowledge of other continents. The good news is I have found her. What is left to do now is agree on a date when she will be in Zimbabwe and also agree on the training cost. I asked her a few questions on fish farming and she was more than willing to answer.
Aquaculture is a special type of farming with its own systems and structures.
One cannot start by explaining or teaching how aquaculture is done because the system depends on these following important points.
Type of culture structure, water exchange and intensity of culture.
Thus one cannot start giving you any advice about your aquaculture project in Zimbabwe until these three questions are answered.
The type of system used for aquaculture production is a combination of the above criteria. For example, there may be a pond system that is:
Extensive and static: to grow major carp in ponds in China and India.
Semi-intensive and semi-closed: to grow silver perch in ponds in Australia.
Semi-closed and intensive: to grow shrimp in ponds in Asia and the Americas;
Open and intensive: to grow Atlantic salmon in sea cages in Norway and Canada.
Aquaculture or fish farming in Zimbabwe is a growing opportunity. The market is insatiable and those who are venturing into the industry are reaping the rewards. With the price of fish being controlled mainly by limited supply and high demand, this business becomes a foolproof business if practised in Zimbabwe. If you are interested in practising fish farming in Zimbabwe, like this article so I can start working on the training programme.
To your continued success. – Ziminvestor.com.
Online Reporter