By HAPPY MULOLANI –
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has earmarked aquaculture value chain production among small-scale farmers in North-Western Province while livestock has been identified for Copperbelt Province.
North-Western Province senior marketing and development officer Dennis Munachusa said the fish population in North-Western Province is currently about 2,560,000, an indication that the province will be able to sustain aquaculture.
He said Solwezi and Kasempa have been earmarked for aquaculture value chain as the fish population was high and will be able to sustain value addition.
The fisheries department will have the mandate to promote the fish value chain.
Mr Munachusa said there was need to add value to the aquaculture value chain and other value chains that were added include, pineapple, beans and small ruminants.
Mr Munachusa said if the value chains are promoted in the province, it will boost the province’s food security levels and contribute to the country’s food basket.
He also said the rice value chain has also been added while mapping and analysis had already been concluded.
Mr Munachusa said pineapple, beans and small ruminants are also other value chains that have been considered and see who can add value to it.
Aquaculture will be implemented in Solwezi and Kasempa while cassava in Mwinilunga.
The cassava and aquaculture value chains will be supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock through the smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Programme (SAPP).
For Copperbelt Province, the SAPP has said it will continue supporting small livestock in selected districts on the Copperbelt.
SAPP Programme Manager Kwibisa Liywalii said that SAPP has been supporting other commodities through its matching grant facility meant to empower small-scale farmers.
He said this during a Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock staff meeting held at Fatmols in Ndola.
Mr Liywalii said, so far, the programme was already supporting small livestock in Chililabombwe and Mpongwe districts.
There is potential for traders and livestock farmers to engage in the enterprise.
Mr Liywalii said this year, aquaculture was another intervention plan, which the programme will support in Chingola, Chililabombwe, Kitwe and Ndola.
Copperbelt Provincial Agricultural Coordinator Roy Lumamba advised his staff to promote fish intervention plan to achieve tangible benefits from the enterprise.