INVEST MORE IN FISHERIES - EXPERT

By BUSINESS REPORTER ,1C5E$6E' IXndinJ to tKe 0inistry oI )isKeries and Livestock will help redXFe tKe fisK defiFit in tKe FoXntry ,ndaEa $JriFXltXral Policy Research Institute (IAPRI), executive director CKanFe .aEaJKe Kas adYised

Mr Kabaghe said in an interview the fish deficit has continued over the years due to inadequate funding to the ministry in charge of Fisheries.

Zambia¶s fish deficit stands at 85,000 tonnes as at end 2017 from the 74,000 tonnes the country had at the end of 2016.

7he country¶s deficit is cushioned by fish imports from China and Thailand.

Mr Kabaghe said Zambia should invest in fisheries support and development in order to have sufficient fish stocks.

“7he ministry of fisheries is still underfunded; there is need for increased funding if we have to become fish sufficient.

“Government should ensure that more money goes into the aquaculture sector because if we do not fund the aquaculture sector it will be impossible to increase production,” he said.

He said increased funding would enable the ministry to engage extension staff to help small scale farmers engage in aquaculture.

“:e have very few fish e[tension officers, and suppose we have a farmer in Kaputa who is interested in fish farming, who is there to

help them have the pond and appropriate feed,” he wondered.

Mr. Kabaghe appealed to government to ensure that extension staff were sent to all the districts around the country.

He lamented that challenges in the growth of the aquaculture sector were still pronounced especially in far Àung areas.

“Fish feed is produced in /usaka making it difficult for farmers in distant areas to transport. ,f the sector is to grow there is need to engage agro dealers in the supply of the feed around the country forthe farmers to access the commodity. <oXtKs FatFKinJ fisK