FISH4ACP aims to contribute towards a productive and sustainable tilapia aquaculture industry in Zimbabwe, lifting the population out of extreme poverty, as well as improving food security — to pave the way towards social inclusiveness across the landlocked nation.

Zimbabwe’s aquaculture sector has yet to take off despite the country’s abundant water resources — it has over 12 000 dams — and conducive warm water conditions. Its aquaculture production of 10 500 tonnes accounts for nearly 80 percent of the total annual production of Nile tilapia in Zimbabwe.

The country’s per capita fish consumption is well below the average in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This means that consumption of tilapia in Zimbabwe can be increased significantly, if production costs can be decreased to reduce retail prices.

FISH4ACP’s priority areas include scaling-up production by improving access to quality inputs and technical know-how. Its overarching goal is to facilitate strong fish farming businesses in a conducive regulatory environment, linking smallholders to domestic and export markets as a means of reducing poverty.  

FISH4ACP also aims to increase employment and the contribution of aquaculture to Zimbabwe’s gross domestic product by supporting an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable fish farming sector.