Zambia invests millions in expansion of cage farms
A ZAMBIAN firm Yalelo, is investing US$9.5 million to increase production at its cage fish farming operations in Siavonga, on the north shore of Lake Kariba.
Yalelo hopes its expansion programme will boost annual production from 7,000 to 30,000 tonnes over the next five years.
Company chief executive officer Bryan McCoy told the Zambia Daily Mail last month that the investment will also create an additional 150 specialist full-time jobs and engage 100 non-skilled staff.
‘Yalelo is extremely proud to be investing further into local production capacity,’ said McCoy.
‘Zambia has the resources to be the leader in regional fish production, and Yalelo is ready to anchor Siavonga’s emergence as the aquaculture capital of sub-Saharan Africa.’
Yalelo director Fisho Mwale said the decision to increase production was taken in the context of national support for the sector, with the recent creation of the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries as well as the growing momentum behind the Aquaculture Development Association of Zambia.
‘Yalelo is poised to be a major contributor to aquacultural production in Zambia,’ said Mwale. ‘We have adhered strictly to good practices and environmental standards that are second to none in our first stages of development.’
He said the company is optimistic that consultations with Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and other local stakeholders will be finished in time to allow for the implementation of the project.
Yalelo is also continuing with plans for the development of a specialty aquafeeds mill which will complement existing supplies.
Zambia’s Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Greyford Monde, said it was the government’s intention to promote large and small scale entrepreneurs in the sector.
‘We welcome this expansion programme by Yalelo to 30,000 metric tonnes in the near future. We are actively engaging ZEMA and other regulatory bodies so that their procedures are in harmony with accelerated investment.’