By DOROTHY CHISI –
WAYS of sustaining projects in rural constituencies had been a major challenges to most parliamentarians in the country.
While the Government can fund some projects in constituencies using Constituency Development Fund, the money is not usually enough to manage the projects a constituency plans.
Thinking outside the box through seeking other ways of sustaining existing projects in the constituency is what Luangeni Member of Parliament Charles Zulu had done.
This is through the re-stocking of Mukochi dam with fingerlings and breeders worth K30, 000 as an income generating activity.

According to Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that by 2030, over half of the fish consumed by the world’s people will be produced by aquaculture.
FAO observed that while 80 per cent of cattle were raised in industrialised nations, fish farming had been growing almost six times faster in developing countries than in developed countries.
The extent of fish-farming in Zambia is not very well known.
Early this year, President Edgar Lungu made a call to Zambians to consider venturing into fish farming as it had potential to create wealth.
President Lungu said Zambia continued to enjoy the best water and favorable environment in the region and in addition to the over 4 million cows and 6 million goats kept in the farms across the country, fish farming had the potential to create wealth for Zambians.
The head of state who wanted to showcase his fishing project said he wanted to set an example that fish farming can be done and hoped that many Zambians consider venturing into the project.
The call by the President however, has not fallen on blind ears as some members of parliament have taken the challenge and considered fish farming as an income generating venture.
One such is Patriotic Front lawmaker for Luangeni Constituency in Chipata District Charles Zulu who has taken up the challenge by investing in fish farming in order to develop the constituency.
Luangeni constituency was blessed with 10 dams with a dream of all of them being stocked with fingerlings and breeders by the end of this year.
However, some of then such as the 723,000 meter cubic Mukochi dam which was constructed at a total cost of K1.7 million, fish farming activities have boomed.
The parliamentarian who is also former Deputy Minister of Energy noted fish farming had the potential of uplifting the country’s nutritional status as well as income.
“President Edgar Lungu called all of us to consider investing in fish farming, this is the reason why we stocked this dam with fingerlings and breeders,” he said.
Mr Zulu observed that once ready, the fish would be able to be supplied to the entire Eastern Province.
He said that the proceeds from the sales of the fish in the constituency’s dams will be channeled towards the development such as construction of schools as well as health facilities.
The lawmaker said Eastern Province had the potential to become one of the largest producers of fish in the country.
He said Zulu said if well implemented the fish project could change the constituency and the district.
“We want to make a difference as Luangeni Constituency; we want to prove to people that this fish project can change the face of Luangeni and the province in general. I have bought several types of fingerings at a cost of K30,000 for this dam,” he said.
Mr Zulu urged people to take good care of the dam which was constructed at a cost of K2.7 million.
He, however, expressed sadness over the behaviour of some people who opened the valves of the dam recently.
Mr Zulu explained that all dams in the constituency would be stocked with fish stating it was high time the people of Luangeni become self reliant.
“We have been suffering for a long time and we want to venture into fish farming and once we started harvesting fish will be able to fund a lot of projects from the money we are going to realise from the sales,” he said.
Mr Zulu said the people should take ownership of projects such as the dam and urged them to be security conscious, report those that will be found stealing fish in the dam.
“ This fish project is very profitable. I will not hesitate to make sure those that will be found stealing fish are prosecuted, if I am to testify against those people in court, I will do so,” he said.
Eastern Province fisheries officer Edgar Kabeke said the stocking programme was initiated by the parliamentarian.
Mr Kabeke said the fish project could only succeed with commitment from the community.
“We can put fish there but if there is no commitment end of the year, we may find that there is nothing, so I am appealing to the community here to take good care of the resource which we have put here,” he said.
“Most of the fish we eat is not from the province, it is from other places like Mozambique, so take advantage of this situation,” he said.
As the human population continues to grow, finding means to feed people is one of the most important challenges faced around the globe.
Fish which is high in protein is necessary to ensure that growing population does not succumb to sickness and disease.
Multiple research studies indicate these fatty acids help reduce many forms of cancer and promote healthy brain tissue.
Eating fish regularly has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease through reducing the probability of clot formation, lowering blood pressure and increasing the good cholesterol levels in the blood stream.
Some studies also suggest inclusion of fish into a healthy diet can have a positive impact on the development of Alzheimer’s disease in elderly persons or blood sugar levels in diabetics.
It is with such initiative that the health of the people in rural areas would be raised as it would be a source of income as well as a source of nutritious food.
The benefits of venturing into such income generating activities as in order to uplift both the economy and a value addition to the nutritional status of the country should be commended.
It is incumbent upon the local people to own and safeguard such initiatives as they had the potential to improve their livelihood in the near future.