FAO, Government partner to tackle aquaculture challenges in Zimbabwe

In a landmark event, the launch of the innovative Fingerling Hubs in Manicaland and Masvingo provinces has ignited hope among Zimbabwe's aquaculture community. 

This initiative, implemented by a partnership between, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Zimbabwe through the Fish for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (FISH4ACP) project, supported by the European Union (EU) and the Germany Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) aims to address the longstanding challenges that have hindered the growth and viability of the sector.

The Challenges

For years, farmers in Zimbabwe have grappled with the scarcity of quality fingerlings, a critical input for successful fish farming. As revealed by a value chain analysis of the fish industries in Zimbabwe carried out by Chinhoyi University of Technology in partnership with FAO, most farmers were using poor-quality genetics from recirculated and inbred sources, which not only affected fish growth but also the economics and business viability of their operations.

"The scarcity of quality fingerlings has resulted in farmers using low-quality fingerlings that impact their yields and profitability," explained the director responsible for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department (FARD) in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Milton Makumbe. 

Compounding the issue, farmers had to travel lengthy distances to access essential inputs like feed and fingerlings, escalating production costs and undermining the sector's viability. The limited availability of technical expertise and extension services further hindered farmers' ability to adopt best practices and improve their productivity.

In addition, unsuspecting farmers were vulnerable to fraudsters who were supplying poor-quality fingerlings, fish feed and other consumables to fish farmers. 

The Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association (ZFPA) chairperson, Garikai Munatsirei said fraudsters have negatively affected the sector and are hindering its growth. “We need to put an end to fraudsters who have been preying on unsuspecting farmers. This has been stifling the sector’s growth,” Garikai Munatsirei, said.

The Solutions

The Fingerling Hubs initiative is designed to tackle these challenges head-on. By establishing these strategic hubs, the FISH4ACP project, aims to provide farmers with access to high-quality fingerlings right in their local communities, reducing the distances they need to travel and the associated costs.

“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 Milton Makumbe. 

"The fingerlings hubs will also serve as centers for technical expertise and extension services, providing farmers with the knowledge and skills they need to improve their productivity and competitiveness," Milton Makumbe added. 

The pilot projects in Manicaland and Masvingo provinces are set to produce a remarkable 1.2 million fingerlings per production season, significantly increasing the supply and improving the survival rate from the current 30 percent to a targeted 80 to 90 percent.

“The two regions were selected based on a recent aquaculture survey which revealed a significant number of fish farmers. Manicaland province, in particular, has over 1800 farmers, making it the region with the highest concentration of fish farmers,” said the interim Assistant FAO Representative-Programmes, Tendai Munyokoveri. 

Each hub, she said, has seven tanks with a capacity of 19 cubic meters each, capable of holding 60 000 fingerlings per cycle. “The fingerlings will be grown to a larger size, between 5g and 20g, to improve survival rates before farmers take them to their respective sites. By increasing survival rates, we can make fish farming more profitable and attractive,” said Tendai Munyokoveri.

By addressing the critical challenge of fingerling access, the initiative paves the way for a thriving, sustainable, and resilient aquaculture industry that can contribute to the country's food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

“The launch of the Fingerling Hubs is a testament to FAO's commitment to transforming the aquaculture sector and aligning it with the broader vision of Zimbabwe's Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy,” added Tendai Munyokoveri.

Sustainability and Collaboration

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the initiative, FAO and the Zimbabwean government are working to augment fingerling production through the establishment of government breeding sites at Makoholi Research Institute, Matopos Research Station, and Henderson Research Institute.

"The successful launch of the fingerling hubs is a shining example of the power of collaboration and commitment among stakeholders," the Director emphasized. "This achievement will have far-reaching benefits, particularly enhancing production efficiency, improving yields, and contributing significantly to food security, improved nutrition, and income generation," he added.

FAO has also partnered with World Vision Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association to provide training, educational and informational materials in sustainable fish production, improving the skills and knowledge of rural farmers for better fish production and increased competitiveness.

The fingerlings hubs will also serve as farmer field schools, whereby they will provide technical expertise and extension services to the nearby farming community.

Women Empowerment

Women play a key role in producing food, generating income and fueling local economies in rural areas. However, in Zimbabwe women are challenged by traditional gender roles, often overburdened, and facing unequal access to productive assets, technology, finance, and services such as education, water and health.

To unlock the potential of women, through the FISH4ACP project FAO handed over one of the four fish fingerlings hub to a women-led fisheries group in Honde Valley, Mutasa District. 

“The hub will support the social, economic empowerment and environmental transformation of the fisheries sector towards its better contribution to food security and poverty eradication,” said Tendai Munyokoveri.

Key Quotes

"The fingerling hub we are witnessing here is a significant milestone in our area of Masvingo," said the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira. 

During the launch event it was revealed by a value chain analysis that most farmers were using poor-quality genetics, which not only affected fish growth but also the economics and business viability.

Emphasizing the importance of the initiative, the Director responsible for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department (FARD) stated that, "by providing farmers with easy access to quality fingerlings, the project will boost fish production, helping to revitalize the aquaculture sector and achieve a US$1 billion target by 2030 while improving food security in the country.”

Reflecting on the collaborative efforts, Tendayi Munyokoveri said, "The successful launch of the fingerling hubs, showcases the transformative potential of Zimbabwe's aquaculture sector and the collective role we all play in achieving sustainable development and improved nutrition."

As the Fingerling Hubs take root, the collective efforts of international partners, government agencies, farmer organizations, and other stakeholders will be crucial in unlocking the full potential of Zimbabwe's aquaculture sector and ensuring a sustainable, resilient, and thriving industry. Leaving no farmer behind in this transformative journey.