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Ashton Mutyavaviri
IN a move resonating with Government’s drive to empower the youth demographic, which is largely regarded as the driving force for any country’s economic growth, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department (FARD) yesterday launched a fish stocking programme in Mutasa district for youths.
The department is working with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training.
FARD aquaculture production officer Ms Irene Chihanga said the move was meant to empower youths in the community to launch their agriculture projects.
She said 20 000 fingerlings would be stocked in the 14 wards of Mutasa north district further highlighting that farmers had fish ponds ready for stocking.
“The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has already drilled five boreholes in Mutasa north and the rig is still there for more borehole drilling. Fish ponds will be established at each borehole with youths encouraged to start their projects seriously,” said Ms Chihanga.
She said at Hauna in Mutasa district they were going to stock 20 fish ponds of 10m² x 10m²b on average with fingerlings being provided by the Government through the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme.
The Presidential Community Fisheries scheme is inclusive of training communities on sustainable fish harvesting, as well as the setting up of dam committees to cultivate a sense of ownership among community members.
The initiative will boost youths’ involvement in agriculture and contribute to the country’s economic development in line with Government’s policy to mainstream participation of youths in national programmes, said Ms Chihanga.
FARD is looking to stock dams with indigenous fish species to arrest the decline in fish populations for communities surrounding dams.
Agriculture is one of the major pillars of the country’s economy, hence the Government’s thrust to empower youths who constitute 62 percent of the total population of Zimbabwe.
The Government’s initiative also aims to capitalise on the country’s abundant water resources and favourable climatic conditions for aquaculture.
Aquaculture empowers youths and women by providing them with invaluable skills that can allow them to not only secure a future of self-employment, but also considerably contribute to the growth of fish farming.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) National youth secretary Mr Joshua Zinzombe said robust participation of young people in the agribusiness space could change the trajectory of the food security push in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole.
He added that the fish farming projects could improve food and nutrition security in the country.
Food security as defined by the United Nations Committee on world Food Security means that all people at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.
Online Reporter