Zhovhe Fisheries project to drive Beitbridge rural industrialisation

GOVERNMENT has launched a massive fisheries project at the Zhovhe Dam in Beitbridge District, Matabeleland South, a development that will boost incomes, food security and nutrition for over 16 000 households through start-ups in line with the Second Republic’s rural industrialisation agenda.

Through rural industrialisation, the Government hopes to stem rural-to-urban migration.

Rural industrialisation, which hinges on the Second Republic’s devolution policy, involves nurturing agro-processing start-up enterprises in rural areas through financial and technological support via venture capital funding and Government agencies.

The Zhovhe Dam fisheries project, which is part of the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme, was launched last Friday by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Davis Marapira.

The training and distribution of the breeding stock is already underway and the Zhovhe Dam has 24 floating cages with a carrying capacity of 100 000 fish.

Deputy Minister Marapira supplied 12 000 fingerlings at Zhovhe Dam and 4 000 at Ndambe Irrigation project fish pond while thousands of others we handed over to 17 farmers in Ward 14 resettlement area.

Deputy Minister Davis Marapira

He said Government intends to stock the dam with over 1 million fingerlings as part of the project.

“This project is part of the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation strategy which was launched in the year 2020. The strategy has formed the basis for our input into the National Development Strategy 1,” said Deputy Minister Marapira.

“The fish industry in Zimbabwe has a great potential to increase production of fish from the current levels of around 20 000 tonnes per year against a demand of 60 000 tonnes annually. So, this is a step closer to our vision and a self-sustaining economy.”

Deputy Minister Marapira said the country has 10 000 dams and a conducive climate for fish production.

He said Government partnered with Toppick Investment, the proprietors of Zhovhe Farm, to run the project in Matabeleland South.

Deputy Minister Marapira said Government wants to improve the cold chain facility in the fishing industry and boost the capacity of communities especially those engaged in horticulture projects to produce more.

“Today, we stocked the dam and another fish pond at Ndambe communal irrigation to mark the start of this massive project where we are targeting to stock 1 million fingerlings in this dam. Already, we have a team on the ground at Zhovhe which has already carried out initial training,” he said.

“This is a project we are rolling 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.”

The Zhovhe Dam fisheries project will produce fingerlings mainly for communities in Matabeleland South, Bulawayo, Masvingo and Midlands provinces.

In addition, this programme will cut transportation and related costs of bringing breeding stock from areas like Kariba.

Deputy Minister Marapira said horticulture and irrigation-related projects in the selected four provinces will benefit from the food value chain that comes with fish farming.

“The creation of more cold chain facilities will ensure that the country has enough fish stocks throughout the year even in winter when fish production is relatively low. To increase fish production, refurbishment and establishment of hatcheries at Government fisheries units has been completed. We have also partnered with private players such as Toppick Fish Farm,” he said.

“This will aid an increase in fish production, fish consumption, and nutrition all at affordable prices. A total of 16 000 households are set to benefit from Zhovhe Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme.”

Deputy Minister Marapira said Government is utilising water bodies across the country and the thrust is to have the fish projects running concurrently with irrigation development and horticulture.

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“Restocking of community dams is also one of the projects and the Government is aiming to serve its people on all aspects of agriculture productivity and aquaculture is not an exception. As a 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,” he said.

Project team leader, Mrs Amini Madzivanyika said training for the project implementers is ongoing.

She said the Zhovhe project will produce mainly the green head breams and Nile Tilapia breams.

Dr Evelyne Ndlovu

These, she said, were of high quality and they expect them to have matured for the market within eight months.

Speaking during the same event, Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Dr Evelyn Ndlovu said the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme will transform the lives of thousands of households in the province.

A farmer at Ndambe irrigation scheme, Mrs Takalani Mbedzi commended the Government for its rural industrialisation drive.

“As women, we appreciate this kind of support from our leaders and I hope that more community members will embrace this initiative. We should take aquaculture as a business and participate in the different aquaculture value chains,” she said.

A youthful farmer from Mazunga in Ward 14, Miss Athingahangwi Ncube said the programme will help improve livelihoods and empower youths.

Toppick Investments’ chief executive officer, Mr Danisa Moyo said the fisheries project will boost the local economy and help create jobs at the hatchery.

He said they had partnered with the Government in the project in order to empower the local community and grow the economy.

-chronicle