By Patrick Ng’ambi
Mzuzu, Mana: Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Eisenhower Mkaka has said that fish farming if fully developed has the potential to contribute enormously to the country’s economic development.
Mkaka was speaking Wednesday during his visit to Mzuzu Aquaculture Centre to appreciate challenges which Fisheries Department is facing in promoting fish farming in northern region and the country as a whole.
He said currently, aquaculture is being underutilized as he termed it as a sleeping giant and pledged his ministry’s support to maximize the sector’s potential output and impact on the country’s economy.
“The aquaculture sector faces several challenges which among others include low funding. Under monthly funding makes this sector struggle in fingerling and fish feed production.
We have just been informed that if the sector is provided with necessary support, the country should be able to produce more than what we need and export excess fish for forex generation,” said Mkaka.
Head of Mzuzu Aquaculture Center, David Mbamba said the center needs to be providing fish farmers with high quality fingerlings, feed and good management skills for the sector to be vibrant and contribute to the uplifting of people’s livelihoods.
“We need to have a good hatchery and feed processing mill so that we reach out to farmers with quality services,” said Mbamba.
He then applauded Sustainable Fisheries, Aquaculture Development and Watershed Management Project (SFAD-WM) which is aimed at providing technical skills in fish production.
“With this project which rolled out in 2019 up to 2024, fish farming will no longer be a story of the past but rather the future of the country since we have many swamps which can be transformed into ponds,” he added.
One of the fish farmers, a Mrs Mwangonde said the market for fish is readily available hence the need to expand fish farming projects across the country.
