Fish farming to create 20 000 jobs

Source: Fish farming to  create 20 000 jobs | Daily News

FISH farming could be a turning point for Zimbabwe’s sinking employment sector with a capacity of creating 20 000 jobs, a major stakeholder in the industry has revealed.

Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association (ZFPA) says the country’s aquaculture sector can produce “20 000 metric tonnes of fish, creating 10 000 direct jobs and another 10 000 indirect ones”.

“Zimbabwe already boasts the largest fish farming operation in Africa and there is scope to grow small scale commercial fish production too in the country which holds 60 percent of all dammed water in the SADC region and has desirable climatic conditions for freshwater aquaculture,” ZFPA said in a statement.

“It is recognised that fish farming is the fastest growing food producing sector in the world and has a key role to play in feeding an increasing world population, as fish can be produced more efficiently and cost-effectively than most meat proteins.

“ZFPA believes that fish production in Zimbabwe will grow significantly, with aquaculture proudly taking its place alongside the chicken, pork and beef industries as a key supplier of tasty, nutritious, home-grown protein for a growing population.”

ZFPA is pushing for creation of an Aquaculture Development Fund, a strategy that stakeholders tabled during the planning phase of the Command Fisheries Programme.