NEW: Govt, partners seek to achieve 60 000 tonnes of fish

Malven Mugadzikwa in MUTARE

GOVERNMENT, in partnership with development partners and the private sector, are seeking to achieve 60 000 tonnes of fish annually as part of efforts to strengthen the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The move also bodes well for food security and job creation.

Currently, the country produces around 30 000 tonnes, far below national demand.

In July this year, under the African Development Bank (AfDB)-funded Programme for Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy Trade Corridors in SADC (PROFISHBLUE Project), Zimbabwe took delivery of cold chain equipment comprising a refrigerated truck for transporting fish and fishery products to the Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association (ZFPA).

The association represents about 3 600 actors across the fish value chain.

Now, under the FISH4ACP programme, a new cold chain facility is being developed.

The initiative is expected to significantly reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access for smallholder fish farmers and attract fresh investment into the growing sector.

Speaking during the inception meeting in Mutare, Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department (FARD) deputy director Ms Lylian Nyashanu said the project was central to making fish farming more profitable and resilient.

“This facility will ensure that fish produced by our farmers is preserved in top quality, safe for consumption and competitive in both local and regional markets. It is more than just storage — it is a vital link in a modern, integrated aquaculture system that connects production to markets,” she said.

Zimbabwe’s aquaculture sector, she also said, has the potential to contribute more than US$1 billion to the economy, but progress has been constrained by post-harvest losses, which average between 20 and 30 percent.

Implementation will follow a phased approach, beginning with detailed planning, development of a business proposal, selection of joint venture partners, equipment installation and ultimately full operationalisation.

Revenue streams are expected from storage, logistics services and value addition, with insurance and environmental compliance integrated into operations.

Manicaland province, where the facility is being established, has emerged as Zimbabwe’s aquaculture hub, with more than 1 800 aquafarms, of which over 90 percent of them are family-run.

Women constitute 64 percent of cooperative membership, highlighting aquaculture’s importance in empowering women and boosting household incomes.

Species farmed in the province include Nile tilapia, red-breasted tilapia, green-headed tilapia, catfish and trout in the cooler areas of Nyanga.

With the cold chain facility and complementary investments such as a fingerlings hub in Mutasa district, production is projected to rise steadily.

Speaking on behalf of FAO subregional coordinator for Southern Africa and representative to Zimbabwe Dr Patrice Talla, Fish4 ACP’s project coordinator Mr Paul Mwera said the organisation was working closely with Government and development partners to tackle long-standing bottlenecks in the fisheries value chain.

Mr Mwera highlighted that Manicaland province had the largest concentration of fish farmers in Zimbabwe, with more than 2 000 registered.

This, he said, made the province a natural hub for pilot programmes aimed at boosting production and improving market access.

“Working together with FARD, FAO has piloted alternative feeds in Honde Valley and Mutasa, and established a fingerling hub in Honde Valley and Masvingo to address the supply challenge,” he said.

“Through Aquaculture Zimbabwe, farmers have also been trained in best aquaculture practices here in Manicaland, while Chinhoyi University of Technology is set to roll out certified aquaculture business training.”