The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
AT least 100 youths from Hauna, Mutasa district in Manicaland province, who recently benefited from the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme are receiving training on best practices in fish production and marketing.
The three-day training workshop is being held by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department (FARD) in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), as part of implementing the ENABLE-Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme.
Speaking on the sidelines of the training, FARD production officer Mr James Mambeva said the training will see the transformation of youths’ mindsets, as they will now take agriculture as a business.
“The purpose of this training is to change the mindset of our young farmers, so that they take agriculture as a business not as a practice.
“We are training 100 young farmers and extension staff at Hauna business centre in Manicaland province as we help them adopt technology and good management skills.
“We also teach them to be visionaries, good communicators with leadership skills to transform their communities for the bette.”
Mr Mambeva said the primary goal of the ENABLE-TAAT programme was to extend new agriculture technologies to youths in Africa.
“The programme also helps them build their capacities in entrepreneurship, business management skills and other relevant soft skills that will help them run profitable and sustainable agribusiness enterprises,” said Mr Mambeva.
ENABLE-TAAT business development officer Mr Idowu Osun from Nigeria said the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme blends well with the TAAT concept.
Mr Idowu Osun
“We are pleased with the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme because it is in line with empowering youths and women who dominate the local population. This is the area we are also concerned with as well,” said Mr Osun.
Ms Ester Mutambara of Ward 6 said the programme was life-changing.
“Considering that the drought has ravaged our crops, this fish farming project has come as a relief to us.
“If we are to implement what we are being taught here, I think no one will feel the effects of the drought because we will be able to use the money we get from this project to buy food,” she said.
