By Kalobwe Bwalya
DESPITE being landlocked, Zambia has a potential to become one of the highest producers and exporters of fish in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and beyond, WordFish has observed.
WorldFish, which is a leading non-profit research and innovation institution focused on aquatic foods for food system transformation for healthy people and the planet, has noted that this is because fisheries have long been an important part of the economy and cultural heritage in Zambia.
Currently, Zambia’s total fish production is just over 100,000 metric tonnes, of which about 85,000 metric tonnes come from fisheries and WorldFish says it regards the country’s aquaculture sector as being in infancy, but foresee a massive growth in the coming years because of the Government and the private sector commitment to policy implementation.
Supplementing the Government’s effort in promoting the fishing industry, WorldFish Zambia recently engaged local fish processors in a training on food safety.
And the Ministry of Fisheries has disclosed that the Government was enhancing fish production through policy formulations.
In an interview, Acting Director of Fisheries and Livestock Evans Mutanuka said his ministry, in collaboration with the SADC Secretariat and partners such as WorldFish Zambia, will continue to promote entrepreneurship, product development and trade requirements for fish processors in the country under the profishblue project.
Mr. Mutanuka said the Government was impressed with the attention being rendered to the fish industry, especially the WorldFish Zambia projects which were aimed at promoting sustainable management and use of fisheries resources within the context of the blue economy to improve food and nutritional security and create employment.
He disclosed that the project also aided in the facilitation of interregional trade and built adaptive capacity of fish value chain actors against the impact of climate change and other external factors.
He noted that there was a need to ensure that the fish industry was expanded because it was a key to the growth of the fishing industry across the globe.
“I am delighted to note that the training covered topics such as business development and marketing and planning which are an important aspect for fish farmers and processors where business is concerned,” Mr. Mutanuka said.
He said that the Government, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, will continue to support the aquaculture sector, thereby promoting value addition and nutrition from the fish industry.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Principal Grant Officer Rhodah Habweele said the Government recognised the importance of business training and interactions.
Ms. Habweele said that the Government, through her ministry, recognised the critical role that SMEs played in job and wealth creation, hence the ministry’s promptness in giving out grants to qualified applicants.
And WorldFish Zambia representative Netsayi Mugede said that her organization was keen to promote the value chain in the aquatic food processing sector.
She said WorldFish Zambia was delighted to partner with SADC and African Development Bank for the Pro-fish blue project that has been training local fish farmers in food safety.
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