The ManicaPost
Senior Reporter
THE embracement of rural aquaculture (fish farming) project in Mutasa may be changing lives and brought hope of a better future to many of its small-scale farmers, but beneficiaries must take caution to avert many risks associated with it following the drowning of Mr Samuel Mukoyi while putting fish feed in cages at Osborne Dam.
Aquaculture is the practice of raising fish for food.
Mr Samuel Mukoyi (62) of Mukoyi Village, Gonde area in Ward 16 under Headman Mandeya 1, died on January 23, 2017.
His body was found floating after two days of searching. Family spokesman, Mr Moses Mukoyi, confirmed the incident, adding that his young brother was buried on January 28.
“We lost a brother who was involved in aquaculture. He was trying to feed caged fish in Osborne Dam which we suspect was probably not properly anchored and drifted away from the shores,” said Mr Mukoyi Snr.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa, also confirmed the incident.
The Manica Post understands that five fish cages, each measuring 25-cubic-metres, were recently floated in Osborne Dam and Odzi River by a local development partner in a noble initiative to improve food, nutrition and income security among small-scale farmers in Mutasa District.
Many species of fish are raised in contained fresh water environments, including salmon, catfish, tilapia, cod and others.
Practical Action assisted with the construction of the cages and training of farmers on how to practice proper aquaculture. It shall all also set a fish collection centre within the next few months.
To access the cages to feed the fish, one is required to use a boat and it was during the routine feeding chores that Mr Mukoyi’s boat, which was probably not properly anchored, drifted away from the shores.
When Mr Mukoyi tried to follow it he drowned.
Four cages have so far been placed into the dam to benefit 47 farmers from Asset Acquire, Gonde Reformed Fisheries and Afri Odzi Fisheries in Mt Jenya and Gonde areas.
The best method of practicing aquaculture is to embrace rural aquaculture, as against urban aquaculture, widely practiced by fish farmers, noting that urban aquaculture is not only difficult to operate, it is also expensive, considering the issue of power generation to pump water and other necessary input needed to run the farm.
Each cage will accommodate 6 000 Nile Telapia fish, with a value of $8 000 at harvesting, which is done after five months.
Aquaculture Zimbabwe chipped in with the technical aspect of the project.
It organised cage designing and feed management systems, while Aquafeeds supplied fingerlings and feeds for the fish.
The reason why the farmers chose Osborne Dam is that cage culture fish production system requires perennial water depths of 15-20 metres.
The cages were made at Watsomba and the metal frames were floated by containers and connected to sinking bag nets which will separate cultured fish from wild fish.
Kariba-based Stephchib Enterprises provides a ready market for the farmers as it is earmarked to buy at least 30 tonnes of fish at competitive prices each month.
The company was engaged by NGO early this year following a huge response to aquaculture by small-scale farmers in the district. The move was meant to ease market challenges being faced by farmers.
Stephchib Enterprises is now waiting for the harvesting of fish from the cage system fish farming that was set up at Osborne Dam on November 8.
They will be selling the catch at $2 per kilogramme to Stephchib Enterprises.
