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ZPWMA director conservation Mr Arthur Mutsakwa (left) hands over fingerlings to Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Jason Machaya before they were stocked in Insukamini Dam in Lower Gweru on Tuesday

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief

THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has distributed more than 700 000 fingerlings in 20 districts across the country following the successful launch of the National Command Fisheries Programme by President Mugabe at Tokwe Mukosi Dam in May.

On Tuesday, Zimparks took the programme to the Midlands province where 10 000 fingerlings were stocked in Insukamini Dam in Lower Gweru bringing the number to 110 000 of fingerlings stocked in three dams in the province.

Speaking at the launch of the Midlands Province Command Fisheries Programme at Insukamini Dam, Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Jason Machaya said the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate has embarked on a Command Fisheries and Aquaculture programme to rejuvenate the fisheries industry and complement the Command Agriculture programme to ensure food security in the country.

He said Zimparks is the implementing agency for this programme as part of ZimAsset. Cde Machaya said Command Fisheries follows the Government’s successful Command Agriculture programme.

“The Command Fisheries programme is a national programme that has been started in all our 10 provinces. My office together with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority will draw up a detailed work-plan for an extensive fisheries recovery programme which will benefit the youth, women and other vulnerable groups in our province. The programme aims at food fish production and commercial fish production at grassroots level in order to improve food security and livelihoods of many rural communities in the country,” he said.

“The programme to stock dams with fish has already started nationwide, with almost 700 000 fingerlings already distributed in 20 districts around the country. Within the Midlands Province we have so far stocked three dams with 110 000 fingerlings. Communities, orphanages, schools and interested individuals are expected to benefit from this programme.”

Cde Machaya said there is a huge opportunity to harness fisheries to promote food security among vulnerable communities in the country.

“It is imperative to emphasise that the success of the Command fisheries initiative requires participation of all stakeholders,” he said.

Zimparks director for conservation Mr Arthur Mutsakwa said the Command Fisheries Programme would ensure that food and nutrition needs are met within communities. He said the programme will also create employment opportunities and therefore contribute to the national economy.

“It is important to note that some communities in the Midlands province have so far benefited from the on-going fish restocking in their areas and individual ponds. These include dams and individual ponds in Gweru, Kwekwe and Shurugwi Districts. A cumulative total of 44 400 fingerlings have been stocked in dams and individual fish farmers have received 2 400 fingerlings,” Mr Mutsakwa said.

He said more dams will benefit from the programme by either receiving for the first time or further restocking to acceptable sustainable quantities of fish fingerlings. — @pchitumba1