The European Commission (EC) and World Vision have combined forces to increase fisheries and aquaculture in the country to provide communities in eight districts with a source of income.
BY TATIRA ZWINOIRA
EC invested $300 000 at the start of the project in November 2013, which is expected to end in October 2017.
Speaking in Harare yesterday at the review of the project, EC fisheries project coordinator at World Vision, Sibonginkosi Mungoni, said the project has sold 22 tonnes of fish since inception.
“We were selling the fish at an average of $2,50 across eight districts, and on average, we have managed to make close to $55 000.
However, we had to invest this money into the next cycle of harvesting, which is expected at the end of this winter,” he said.
“For this project, we engaged private partners such as Lake Harvest, who provided fingerlings for us to use for the fish farming in these eight districts for fish ponds that we setup.”
The eight districts covered are Binga, Kariba, Insiza, Umzingwane, Masvingo, Beitbridge, Mwenezi and Hwange and the project is expected to build incomes for people living there through market-based fisheries and aquaculture activities.
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Since the project began in November 2013, the EC and World Vision project has made headway in creating a sustainable aquaculture business in the country.
To date, the fish project has directly reached about 6 000 households, helped provide training to 3 713 households, increased food nutrition utilisation in 3 254 households, conducted three major studies and 26 commercial systems.
The EC and World Vision project trained 117 government extension officers, equipping them with skills and knowledge about the project. Other partners in the project include Aquaculture Zimbabwe and Basilwizi Trust.
findings established that sustainability through collaboration with key government stakeholders was the only way the project could work.
Basilwizi Trust director, Frank Mudimba said there was low fish production in Zimbabwe and that policies needed to be reviewed to improve on the situation.
“Recommendations include rationalising line ministries that support food production to promotion of fish production for employment creation, food and nutritionally security. Revise all licences and licensing regimes that affect the incremental production of and access to fish and fish resources by the citizens of Zimbabwe,” he said.
