BULAWAYO, Apr. 23 (NewsDay Live) – The European Union and Germany are ramping up support for Zimbabwe’s aquaculture sector under a €207 million facility targeting sustainable agricultural value chains, as authorities project the industry could grow to US$2.37 billion by 2030.
The revised projection up from an earlier US$1 billion estimate follows findings from a National Aquaculture Frame Survey conducted since 2024, covering fish farming, crocodile production and related aquatic enterprises.
Speaking at a side event during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, EU Head of Cooperation Anna Cichocka said the support falls under the bloc’s Team Europe initiative and its Global Gateway strategy, which is mobilising €207 million to build climate-smart and resilient agricultural value chains.
“We see aquaculture as a sector that can connect food security and rural livelihoods with private sector development,” Cichocka said.
Part of the funding will also support the FISH4ACP programme a joint EU and German initiative promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture value chains across African, Caribbean and Pacific countries which is already active in Zimbabwe.
Agriculture Permanent Secretary Prof Obert Jiri said government aims to increase fish production from 35,515 tonnes recorded last year to 60,000 tonnes by 2030 a 69% rise under the Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (AFSRTS 2: 2026–2030).
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“With the right investment, we can surpass that target,” Jiri said, citing opportunities in hatchery development, feed production, cold chain systems, processing facilities and market infrastructure.
Despite growing domestic demand, Zimbabwe continues to import significant volumes of fish a gap Cichocka said presents clear market opportunities. Government’s rollout of 35,000 Village and School Business Units is already driving aquaculture activity in rural areas.
Food and Agriculture Organization Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa Dr Patrice Talla described aquaculture as “a viable, scalable and investable solution” to rising demand for affordable protein, adding that scaling the sector would cut imports, create jobs and improve rural livelihoods, particularly for women and youth.