The ManicaPost
Blessing Rwizi: Post Correspondent
KARIBA-BASED Stephchib Enterprises is ready to buy at least 30 tonnes of fish at competitive prices each month from smallholder aquaculture farmers in Mutasa District.The company was engaged by Practical Action 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.
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.
They will be selling the catch at $2 per kilogramme to Stephchib Enterprises.
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.
Farmers will be buying fish and fish feeds for themselves from Aquafeeds.
Stephchib Enterprises director, Mr Stephen Chibaya, said: “In terms of numbers of farmers that we want to work with, the sky is the limit because the cash is there, so are the resources. What we are waiting for now is the placement of the fish in Osborne Dam and the collection centre to be placed by Practical Action since fish is a perishable produce. We are here for a change in the farmers’ livelihoods as most farmers in Mutasa are embracing fish farming.”
Practical Action Project Officer, Mr Persistence Nungu, urged more farmers to embark on fish farming as there were immense market opportunities.
“We are trying to source markets for farmers around these areas and change their livelihoods. There has been a rapid growth of farmers doing aquaculture since 2015, hence the need for more buyers,” said Mr Nungu.
