Fishery scheme to benefit 16 000 households

LIVINGSTONE MARUFU

The Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme will assist at least 16 000 households as the government works to harness the nation’s water bodies to increase food production, incomes, and people’s nutrition.

The  fish projects are running concurrently with irrigation development and horticulture.

In  the latest bulletin, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development minister, Dr  Anxious Masuka  said restocking of community dams is also one of the programmes and the government is aiming to serve its people on all aspects of agriculture productivity and aquaculture is not left out.

“Resources mobilisation has been put into place to ensure the breeding stock and feed is readily available. As Lands  ministry, the thrust is to increase employers rather than employees and through such initiatives, the country will soon be in a position to unlock the potential of our agriculture sector.

“Rural communities are being urged to take advantage of the enabling environment created by the government and grow the aquaculture and fisheries businesses,” Dr Masuka said.

He said that thousands of households in Matabeleland South, an arid province mostly located in ecological areas 4 and 5, will experience a drastic change in their quality of life as a result of the Presidential Fisheries Programme.

According to Dr. Masuka, many women take part in the program and express gratitude for how it has changed their life. The Ndambe Irrigation Scheme is home to one such initiative.

“Women are appreciating  this kind of support from the leaders and hope that more community members will embrace this initiative and should take aquaculture as a business and participate in the different aquaculture value chains.

“Youthful farmers also commended the programme as it will improve livelihoods and youths would be empowered to fully participate in national economic development,” he said.

Experts say mature female tilapia fish can lay eggs every three to four months (from the 12th week in the case of the Nile tilapia) and they lay their eggs in nests made by the males, then carry the fertilised eggs in their mouths until they hatch, before keeping the fingerlings close until they are big and strong enough (10 millimetres).

In addition, the tilapia breed is a fast growing fish and it can live for up to 10 years and reach 4.5kg in weight.

The ministry said the fish industry in Zimbabwe has a great potential to increase production of fish  to 60 000 tonnes annually from the current levels of around 20 000 tonnes per year.

The country is endowed with 10 000 dams and a conducive climate for fish production.

According  to the ministry, the government has partnered with Toppick Investments, the proprietors of Zhovhe Farm, to run the fisheries project in Matabeleland South.

A major fisheries project has been launched and is now being implemented at the Zhovhe Dam, about 70km west of Beitbridge town, as the centre for production of fish fingerlings for farming in fish ponds by over 16 000 Zimbabweans across four provinces.

The project is expected to promote rural development and boost food and nutrition security.

Masuka said the project will run for five years in line with the National Development Strategy 1, subject to further review.

“Training of staff and distribution of the breeding stock is underway and the Zhovhe farm has 24 floating cages, each with a carrying capacity of 100 000 fish. The dam has been stocked with 12 000 fingerlings and the government intended to stock the dam with over one million fingerlings. This is a project being rolled out countrywide and for the Zhovhe project, Toppick has the hatchery facilities and we are providing the stock and the actual knowledge on fish farming and aquaculture,”  Dr Masuka said.

The Zhovhe Fisheries will produce fingerlings mainly for communities in parts of Bulawayo, Masvingo, Matabeleland South and Midlands provinces.

In addition, the programme will cut transport and related costs.

According to the ministry, selected horticulture and irrigation-related projects in the selected four provinces would benefit from the food value chain that comes with fish farming.

Dr Masuka said the creation of more cold chain facilities will ensure that the country has enough fish stocks throughout the year even in winter where fish production is relatively low.

“To increase fish production, refurbishment and the establishment of hatcheries at Government fisheries units and partnerships with private players such as Toppick Fish Farm, have been established.

“This will aid in fish production, fish consumption and nutrition, all at affordable prices. Zhovhe project will produce mainly the green head breams and Nile tilapia breams that are common in the area. These are of high quality and they expect them to have matured for the market within eight months,” he said.