The ManicaPost
Hillary Munedzi
Post Correspondent
YOUTHS in Marange have ventured into the lucrative fish farming business as a way of contributing to the devolution agenda.
Implementation of the devolution agenda is part of Government’s economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), a successor to the Transnational Stabilisation Programme (NSP) that seeks to achieve an upper middle income economy status by 2030.
Under devolution, citizens are involved in setting the development agenda in their communities.
Speaking on the sidelines of a workshop organised by Zimbabwe Environmental Law Agency(ZELA) in Mutare recently, Bocha Diamond Community Trust director, Mr Moses Mukwada, urged youths to take fish farming as a business that will uplift the Marange community.
“Chiadzwa is situated in Natural Region Five which is very hot, but suitable for fish farming especially the tilapia breams which we are farming.
“We decided to venture into this lucrative business of fish farming to create employment, reduce crime, and utilise the conducive weather conditions and availability of land and water sources for the project, ”said Mr Mukwada.
Government is making efforts in supporting agro-processing industries as value addition creates jobs and improves the economy.
“As farmers from Marange, we want to value add our fish and we are working on creating fish oil which is the fat or oil that is extracted from fish tissues.
This is a viable business that provides a wide range of health benefits from its nutritional purpose to economic benefits, contribution to food security, employment and income generation.
“Youths’ participation in aquaculture will not only help the sector to reach its full potential, but also contribute to the reduction of unemployment among locals. Youths must be self-employed, ”said Mr Mukwada.
Diamond mining companies in Marange are supporting the aquaculture farmers by buying their fish and providing tractors for tilling land for irrigation, since water used in fish farming is highly nutritious because of fish waste.
“More-so, the mining companies are supporting the project by buying our fish as the quality is not compromised. Local schools especially boarding schools are some of our customers.
“We also intend to venture into fish oil production as part of value addition which clearly shows that the project is lucrative and viable,” he said.
Fish farmers in Manicaland face a myriad of challenges, from exorbitant feed prices, marketing challenges and stiff competition from local and regional suppliers.
“In spite of the great potential in fish farming, there are a number of challenges we are facing.
“These include, the unavailability of electricity and pumps to supplement water into the seven ponds, there is no fence to protect the fish from poachers, while feeds sometimes are so expensive that at times we opt for other alternatives which prolong the growth and readiness of our fish for the market,” said Mr Mukwada.
