Harare, (New Ziana) – The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) on Thursday handed over to the Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association (ZFPA), a three-ton refrigerated truck worth US$98 000 in a timely boost to the sector.
The handover was a significant milestone in the implementation of the Program for Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy Trade Corridors in the SADC region (PROFISHBLUE Project).
SADC deputy executive secretary responsible for regional integration Angele Makombo N’tumba handed over the truck, which the African Development Bank (AfDB) funded, and whose taxes the government waived.
“The PROFISHBLUE Project has a profound impact on the livelihoods of those involved in the fish value chain,” he said.
“We are deeply grateful to the AfDB for funding this vital initiative which is aimed at supporting your efforts to develop the aquaculture and fisheries sector. It is our hope that this truck will significantly contribute to reducing post-harvest losses, which currently have negative implications to food and nutrition security.”
The SADC secretariat, through the PROFISHBLUE Project, is working with the government of Zimbabwe in areas that include the blue economy strategic and investment plans for Lake Kariba, the fisheries management initiative on the same lake and the promotion of fish consumption.
“The SADC secretariat has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to support Zambia and Zimbabwe through the provision and testing of vessel monitoring equipment for improving fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance.
“We are also working with WORLDFISH to support the small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in fish product development in order to support the consumption of aquatic foods. We have just completed the drafting of the regional recipe book with 213 recipes,” N’tumba said.
Apart from these initiatives, SADC is collaborating with the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in capacitating institutions including women and youth-led enterprises involved in the one stop border initiative and international fish trade in the region.
Meanwhile, similar trucks have already been handed over to Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania while the gesture will also be extended to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Madagascar and Mozambique.
“Through this network spanning seven countries, we are working with more than 15 000 people, primarily women and youth, who are not only benefitting from the trucks but have also received capacity building programmes from our key implementing partners. These efforts are aimed at strengthening their businesses along the fish value chain across the SADC region,” N’tumba explained.
She congratulated the ZFPA for emerging as the successful recipient of the initiative, adding the SADC secretariat will also support it with a one-year comprehensive insurance policy for the truck, which it was expected to manage responsibly to sustain its operations.
Speaking at the same event, ZFPA chairman Garikai Munatsirei expressed gratitude to SADC for the donation, which he said will go a long way in boosting the fisheries sector.
“As an association, our focus is on the growth of fisheries sector and this donation by SADC will help to sustain that. We are very grateful for this donation,” he said.
New Ziana
