NEW: Masvingo farmers get boost as new fingerling hub opens 

Theseus Shambare in Masvingo

The Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association, has launched a fingerling hub in Masvingo to enhance access to quality fishlings for local farmers.

The launch, themed “Eat Fish Twice a Week,” directly results from the Government’s adoption of the Fish for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (FISH4ACP) programme, funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

This initiative aims to revitalise the aquaculture sector and achieve a US$1 billion target by 2030.

The hub, composed of seven movable tanks located at Maponga Farm, is designed to hold up to 488 000 fingerlings at a time.

It will serve as a crucial distribution centre for farmers in Masvingo Province and parts of Matabeleland South, ensuring that they have timely access to quality fingerlings.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail on the sidelines of the launch, the director responsible for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department (FARD) in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Mr Milton Makumbe said the hub is part of a broader strategy to support the growth of the aquaculture sector in Zimbabwe.

“This hub is meant to bring fingerlings closer to our farmers.

“By reducing the distance between the breeding facility and the farmers, we can minimize the risk of mortality and ensure that the fingerlings reach the farmers in good condition,” said Mr Makumbe.

By providing farmers with easy access to quality fingerlings, FARD aims to boost fish production and improve food security.

“We are working closely with the Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association to ensure that farmers receive fingerlings at the right time,” Mr Makumbe added.

“We are grouping farmers according to their needs, optimising the distribution process and avoiding unnecessary delays.”

The launch of the fingerling hub is a significant milestone for the aquaculture sector in Masvingo.

It is expected to contribute to the economic development of the region and provide employment opportunities for local communities.

Speaking at the launch, FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Representative to Zimbabwe, Dr Patrice Talla, who was represented by Ms Tendai Munyokoveri, the interim Assistant FAO Representative (AFOR), said a value chain analysis conducted by Chinhoyi University of Technology identified several key issues hindering the growth of the aquaculture sector, including access to quality fingerlings, feed and capital, as well as limited technical capacity.

“The fingerling hub is a great innovation seeking to answer the challenges that farmers are currently facing, such as access to quality fingerlings,” he said.

The hub, he said, will also offer ancillary services such as feed, nets and pond liners, creating a one-stop shop for farmers.

“We encourage feed manufacturers, net producers, and other service providers to ride on this hub to provide services to the sector,” Dr Talla said.

Chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Fish Producers Association, Mr Garikai Munatsirei said fingerling transportation has been badly affecting the production of fish.

“The decentralisation of distribution points is a solution to farmers’ problems.

“Fingerlings were being accessed in Kariba and with the distance to Masvingo, the rates of mortality was too high, while the costs involved were also too high,” said Mr Munatsirei.

This initiative has also supported the training of over 350 farmers in Masvingo, thereby promoting resource mobilisation and production.

Mr Munatsirei said FAO’s strategic framework “Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life” aligns with the global trend of aquaculture as a fast-growing food production sector.