Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare
GOVERNMENT has set a target to build a US$1 billion tilapia and crocodile farming industry by 2030, accelerating aquaculture development as Zimbabwe positions fisheries at the centre of agricultural transformation, food security and export growth.
The target was outlined at the Aquaculture Investment Roundtable Meeting in Harare last week, convened by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in partnership with Chinhoyi University of Technology, FISH4ACP, the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Officiating at the meeting, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said aquaculture was central to the country’s National Development Strategy 2 and rural industrialisation agenda.
“Zimbabwe’s aquaculture sub-sector remains a vital contributor to food security, nutrition, employment creation and rural industrialisation. It is endowed with rich natural resources and opportunities along the whole value chain, but its full potential has not yet been realised,” he said.
During the current 2025–2026 season, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department has produced 9 756 918 tilapia fingerlings, marking a major milestone under the Second Republic’s Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy.
At least 1 220 dams have been certified for stocking nationwide, benefiting irrigation business units, youth business units, school business units, village business units and registered individual farmers.
“We have produced 9 756 918 tilapia fingerlings so far this season and we are confident that we will meet, if not exceed, the 10 million target by May.
“Achieving a US$1 billion industry status is no longer a dream but an achievable target,” said Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department director Mr Milton Makumbe.
Current national fingerling demand stands at 10,8 million per season against local production capacity of 8,4 million, reflecting a supply gap that presents immediate opportunities for private investment in hatcheries and feed manufacturing.
Participation in fish farming is rising, with farmers increasing from 7 445 in the 2023–2024 season to 8 101 in the 2024–2025 season, while functional ponds have grown from 9 974 to 12 938 nationwide.
Speaking at the same event, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Representative in Zimbabwe Dr Patrice Talla said aquaculture remained one of the country’s most promising growth frontiers.
“Demand for fish is rising fast, yet local production lags behind consumption, creating market opportunities for producers. Zimbabwe has the water bodies, climate and market demand to make aquaculture a high-return sector. What we need now is capital and innovation to scale up,” he said.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programme is establishing a US$100 000 cold chain facility at Kings Camp in Kariba under the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund Phase 2, funded by the EU and the government of Ireland, to curb exploitation of local fishermen by middlemen.
UNDP Resident Representative Dr Ayodele Odusola said strengthening cold chain systems and value addition was critical to ensuring small-scale producers capture more value from fisheries.
“Aquaculture presents an important pathway for inclusive growth, resilience building and rural industrialisation. By investing in infrastructure such as cold chain facilities and supporting value chain coordination, we are helping communities move from subsistence production to commercially viable enterprises,” he said.
