The fisheries and aquaculture sub sector play a critical role in our national developmental agenda. It contributes significantly to food and nutritional security, employment creation, and foreign exchange earnings through fish exports with the fisheries subsector contributing 3.2% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The sub sector is also a vital source of livelihood for many of our citizens especially the riparian fishing communities.
However, the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector has been facing numerous challenges, which includes overfishing, habitat destruction, threats of invasive species, aquatic diseases, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, as well as climate change.
These challenges therefore, made it imperative for the government of the Republic of Zambia through the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock to partner with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) through the Fish for Food Security in Zambia project to address some of these challenges.
Through the “One World – No Hunger Special Initiative (SEWoH)” initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to address the two major global challenges of hunger and malnutrition, the GIZ is implementing several projects in Zambia under the Agriculture and Food Security (AgriFood) Cluster, such as the Fish for Food Security in Zambia project.
The Fish for Food Security in Zambia project has been working with artisanal fishers and fish farmers in operating sustainably and efficiently, while curbing illegal fishing. Additionally, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is addressed in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and local communities to achieve equitable and sustainable access to fish as a source of nutritious food and stable income.
The Zambian Government has since expressed gratitude over the socio-economic and environmental impact legacy been left behind by the a three years Fish for Food Security in Zambia project, which used a multi-stakeholders participatory approach, improving the access to sustainable fish products of the people facing food insecurity in 6 selected districts in Eastern Province of Zambia.
Eastern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS), Ms. Beauty Undi Phiri said, “The Fish for Food Security in Zambia project worked to secure the supply of nutritious fish for the food insecure population through sustainable fisheries in eleven (11) small water bodies of the six selected districts namely: Lundazi, Chipangali, Kasenengwa, Katete, Petauke and Nyimba of Eastern Province.
Eastern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS), Ms. Beauty Undi Phiri was speaking on Wednesday – 21st June, 2023, at Lusowe Dam in Petauke District during the closure of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)’s ‘Fish for Food Security in Zambia’ project, which was part of the Global Programme Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture under the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
“We, the government of the Republic of Zambia under the leadership of His Excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, are very grateful for the assistance and guidance that German International Cooperation is giving through the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock”, Eastern Province DPS, Ms. Beauty Undi Phiri expressed heartfelt cheerfulness.
“Fish for Food Security in Zambia project has been implementing its activities through the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock particularly, the Department of Fisheries. The project has been supporting the department by procuring 11 Laptops, training of thirty (30) officers from fisheries, agricultural, water development and forestry departments within the province,” Eastern Province DPS, Ms. Beauty Undi Phiri revealed.
The project has procured eleven (11) motorcycles for Eastern Province and will be handed over to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock hence, today we are very happy to see the eleven new motorcycles which will help lessen the transport challenges that the ministry is facing.
Eastern Province DPS, Ms. Beauty Undi Phiri said, “The German International Cooperation in collaboration with Worldwide Fund (WWF) for Nature bought bicycles and protective clothing which will enhance the Dam Management Committees (DMCs) patrolling activities around the dam and help reach villages around the dam in raising awareness on good fishing practices and dam management.”
“To sensitize the community on sustainable fisheries management practices, Fish for Food Security in Zambia project in collaboration with another German International Cooperation sister project, Food and Nutrition Security Enhanced Resilience (FANSER) organized radio episodes, which were aired on Breeze FM Radio, Radio Chikaya and Valley Radio,” Eastern Province DPS, Ms. Beauty Undi Phiri said.
Fish for Food Security in Zambia project also facilitated the formation of Community Radio Listening Groups for eleven Dam Management Committees and in villages surrounding the dams in six districts namely Petauke, Nyimba, Katete, Kasenengwa, Chipangali, and Lundazi and distributed solar powered radios to each group.
Besides, so as to promote utilization of fish products, some cooking demonstrations which incorporated fish recipes were conducted for dam management committees in collaboration with FANSER.
The Fish for Food Security in Zambia project acknowledged that these communities and stakeholders are often the most affected by changes in the subsector and their involvement was paramount for the sustainable management and development of the sub sector. Therefore, the project has been empowering the small-scale fishers and fish farmers through capacity building; community-based management approaches and promoted their participation in decision-making processes.
Fish for Food Security in Zambia project through the consultants from Aquatic Ecosystem Services from South Africa, conducted fish stock assessment surveys in the ten dams; they did random sampling of fish using different mesh sizes of nets. The size, weight and age of fish were determined. They also measured the area and depth of dams. This helped generate data on the fish species found in the dams as well as estimated harvest from each dam.
Furthermore, aquatic ecosystem services established community-based fish stock monitoring system with the dam management committees. Fish for Food Security in Zambia Project procured tablets, solar panels for each dam in order to enhance data collection. And in order to enhance patrols around dams, five fiber-glass banana boats, twenty paddles, and thirty life jackets were procured.
As the alternative livelihood approach, the project has supported Kalambakuwa with the oil expeller which is fully operational; solar powered borehole, water trough for livestock; fish ponds which are yet to be stocked with fingerlings; and the community has constructed a chicken house made from bamboo and will be supported with improved village chickens.
And the Fish for Food Security in Zambia, Project Coordinator Ms. Samanta Mapfumo expressed confident that despite a lot of challenges encountered, the project managed to work with different partners across Eastern Province to achieve a common goal.
“I’m confident that, this is a sustainable approach of working with different partners such as the communities, the government, and local leadership. The Fish for Food Security in Zambia was a project that brought people together to provide very nutritious food,” Project Coordinator Ms. Samanta Mapfumo noted.
“We are happy, there are other partners who can continue to do the work, we started, especially the WWF, the government departments, Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF); and other GIZ sister project such as FANSER, will continue to support the work,” Project Coordinator Ms. Samanta Mapfumo assured.
“The Fish for Food Security in Zambia project has laid a sustainable foundation to allow the communities understand how the dam works,” meanwhile, the Assistant Director of Fisheries, Mr. Evans Mutanuka acknowledged, “It is now the role of the extension officers to start working with these Dam Management Committees.”
“This year, the cabinet has approved the first ever National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, which is in line with what GIZ was implementing. So the government has taken up the responsibilities GIZ; and declared all the dams they have been working on as dam management areas,” Mr. Evans Mutanuka committed.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Forum for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture’s Chairperson Dr. Cyprian Katongo said that his organisation aim to support the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries to develop policies and strategies in the subsectors to stimulate socio-economic development, create employment and contribute towards food security. The forum also provides space for dialogue, facilitates sharing experiences, lessons learnt, the best practices and to resolve conflicts.
Zambia Forum for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture’s Chairperson Dr. Cyprian Katongo explained, “This is a multi-stakeholder forum that comprises of various actors in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, who are pushing the agenda on sustainable aquaculture and fisheries management.”
