MINISTRY OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, WATER AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
MINISTRY OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, WATER AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
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FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE RESOURCES PRODUCTION
VISION STATEMENT
A productive, growing and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture industry contributing to rural development.
VALUES
·Integrity
·Customer Service
· . Inclusion, Diversity and Social responsibility
· .Sustainability
·Teamwork
MISSION STATEMENT
Ensure a robust fisheries and aquaculture resources sub-sector that is well developed, managed, conserved, and sustainably utilized for economic growth and improved human livelihood, income, and employment through modernisation, commercialisation and sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
FARD ORGANOGRAM
FUNCTIONS
FARD is anchored on three components which are: Research, Extension services, and Regulatory Services. As such, these components determine the core functions of the department, which include:
Provide training services and capacity building to fisheries and aquaculture value chain players in the fisheries and aquaculture industry.
Formulate and implement and comprehensive Fisheries and Aquaculture Research and Development Programmes
Formulate and enforce, rules and regulations governing the management of fishery resources.
Provide extensive development support in all aspects of fisheries production, processing and marketing.
Promote proper utilisation and conservation of the country’s fisheries resources.
Advise on and coordinate the maintenance of proper sanitation and hygiene practices in fish markets and fish processing.
Develop value-added fishery products for domestic consumption and export; and
Assist the fishery businesses and local communities in management and development of fishery resources.
Provide coordination, monitoring and evaluation services in the development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Develop and maintain database on fisheries and aquaculture production and productivity.
Promote adoption of new fisheries and aquaculture production and development technologies
The Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme is part of Government’s efforts to contribute significantly to enhanced food and nutrition security and livelihoods. The scheme aims to decentralise fingerling production, (re)stock dams, construct and rehabilitate ponds, capacitate farmers through robust extension services, develop markets, formulate low-cost feed, promote research and development, promote regulation of the sector through development of standards for quality production, and investment in cold chain development. The model aims to enable rural communities to exploit the water resources within their vicinity to create a self-sufficient and food surplus economy. The program is set to increase the participation of local communities in artisanal fisheries. This will be done through:
Re(stocking) community dams
Improving operational conditions and accessibility of communities to the permit system
Increased organisation of communities into cooperatives for ease of operations.
Creation and strengthening of dam level management committees for sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources.
Incorporating regional monitoring and management policies for sustainable capture fisheries on shared waters.
The Presidential Community Fisheries scheme’s concept will also be anchored on enhancing fish production on Irrigation Business Units (IBUs), Village Business Units (VBU’s) and Youth Business Units (YBU’s) that are strategically established on each nutrition garden in various geographical locations around the country. School Business Units (SBU’s) are also key in incorporating fisheries and aquatic resources in curriculum development from early stages of school development up to tertiary education systems. These business units will be established at all sites with boreholes drilled across the country to capitalise on availability of abundant water resources. With a target of 35,000 boreholes the business unit model aims to construct and stock two (2) commercially viable fishponds that will cater to community household and school incomes.
The programme is facilitating the introduction of cages for commercial production in various dams. Dams’ and other water bodies’ assessment for cage fisheries suitability will be done and at least a quarter of the area of suitable dams allocated towards cage fisheries. The commercial cage fishing components will be focusing on sex-reversed Nile tilapia because of its fast growth rate and high turnover traits suitable for commercial production.
In a bid to incorporate fish farming as part of the primary to tertiary education curriculum, the FISH FOR SCHOOLS programme will be launched in primary, secondary schools, and agricultural colleges. This programme, in line with education 5.0, seeks to engage and promote fish farming in schools to improve food and nutrition and livelihoods.
In an effort to promote gender mainstreaming and inclusivity in the fish farming sector, this programme focuses on the training and capacitation of women in fish farming. With 70% of the retail section along the tilapia value chain comprising of women, some gaps are still to be filled to allow equal participation of the key drivers of societal change along the whole value chain. The programme aims to promote the participation of women in fish production in both aquaculture and capture fisheries. Therefore, women will be key participants in training programmes to be offered by fisheries focal persons in developing communities
The scheme focuses on the participation of the private sector in fisheries and aquatic resource production. The aim is to create an enabling environment to promote cost efficient businesses in the aquaculture value chains.
The programme will expand production and use of the Black Soldier Fly larvae in feed formulation. The plan seeks to utilise the FISH4ACP program piloted in Manicaland. Other affordable fish feeds such as meal worm and duck weed will be explored to address the challenge of high feed costs which constitute over 70% of production costs.
1. The foundation of breeding stock in aquaculture is still reliant and obtained from wild populations, reiterating the importance of genetic diversity monitoring of wild populations of relevant species under culture The plan seeks to establish new and strengthen existing genetic evaluation programs and protocols set up for genetic monitoring according to the species of concern (tilapia, trout, Kapenta, crayfish, catfish). The programmes will allow quality assurance mechanisms that will promote and regulate the production of high-quality fingerlings in the sector.
2. Fisheries Units housed within Livestock Research Institutes in the Department of Livestock Research are being used. Development of research trials to improve performance of indigenous tilapia strains for dam stocking are currently running. The centres multiply fish fingerlings and other aquatic species seed stock to be sold on a cost recovery basis
Disease threats from the wild and high intensity freshwater aquaculture development are highly likely to threaten the viability of the sub sector. Fish disease hinder productivity to aquaculture production and the limited number of experienced veterinary personnel in the field amplify the negative effects that may arise from an outbreak. Granted importation of genetics is under consideration, quarantine centres will be established in Fisheries Units to reduce incidence of fish disease from introduced stock from different parts of the country or region. This will contribute to the preliminary bio-security measures that will ensure stock and food safety and encourage the adherence to quality standard measures enforced by the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as well as the Animal Health Act of Zimbabwe.
The programme seeks to work in liaison with Department of Veterinary Services’ Technical Division. Considering the Food Safety Act (1990) and post-harvesting processing techniques employed, the programme will ensure sufficient opportunities for addressing local needs and subsequent up-scaling. The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources in collaboration with the Department of Veterinary Services is working on addressing animal health and food safety issues during post-harvest fish processing.
The programme in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), seeks to refurbish existing government hatchery facilities at Henderson Fisheries Unit as well as establishing new ones at Makoholi, Matopos, Bubi-Lupane and Chipinge Research stations. When fully operational this will aid in decentralising fingerling supply through government institutions that are closer to the farming communities.
The value chain support seeks to develop the fish farming value chain, from dam/pond in farms to the table. This is an assemblance concept to identify challenges and areas requiring interventions along the value chain. A five-year project was developed under the FISH4ACP programme, an initiative of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACP) to support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development. FISH4ACP is a value chain (VC) development programme implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with funding from the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The Euro 48 million project is adopting a holistic approach to sustainability. FISH4ACP seeks to promote investments into fisheries and aquaculture value chains with the goal of stimulating inclusive growth, poverty reduction and improving food and nutrition security, while at the same time ensuring the sustainability of aquatic resources.
The programme seeks to create a harmonised regulatory environment that is conducive for the fisheries and aquaculture sector through development of a Fisheries and Aquaculture Act. This will be achieved through an inclusive stakeholder bill consultation process with support from Government and development partners.
The multinational program for improving fisheries governance and blue economy trade corridors in Southern African Development Community (SADC) region (Profishblue)
The programme will promote establishment of fish collection refrigerated trucks with proper sorting and cold chain facilities to improve marketing and the development of the fish sector at community and regional level.
The introduction of the Aquaculture Business School (ABS) in Zimbabwe will encompass TOT extension module incorporating all aspects of a fish farming business in collaboration with FAO under the FISH4ACP Programme and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). The three focus points (Aquaculture and 2 other value chain products the farmer is undertaking) will not only enhance tilapia production (also exploration of carp) but will also touch on other integrations in the value chain for example soya or maize Production. Certification will be availed for trained personnel to ensure quality control of module delivered to farmers.
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