Zambia facing fish feed business challenge
Due to the low number of farmers engaging in fish farming, investors are feeling discouraged to further invest in fish feed production, according to Tiger Animal Feeds Zambia chief operating officer Herman Nienaber.
Nienaber said it has been difficult for the firm to set up a factory that will specifically trade in fish food as the investment needed to buy equipment and produce fish stock is high.
He said this when he appeared before the Parliamentary committee on agriculture chaired by Solwezi East member of Parliament Villie Lombanya on Friday that due to the size of farmers participating in aquaculture, it has been a challenge to decentralise the production of the commodity.
“The process to make fish feed and the investment needed to buy the equipment to produce feed is very expensive because it’s not just a matter of grinding of raw materials, putting it together and feeding the fish.
See also: Feed the fish and feed the world editors view.
In another bid to help the sector, the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$22.62 million loan to turn Lake Tanganyika into a viable and sustainable aquaculture project for smallholder fish farmers. AfDB senior agriculture officer in Zambia Lewis Bangwe said besides addressing the weakening socio-economic conditions and land degradation in the area, the project will provide specific interventions in the aquaculture industry. The bank will help small-scale entrepreneurs set up hatcheries, nurseries, feed mills and cold rooms to support the fish value chain he added.
More on articles on fish feed.
Source: Zambia Daily Mail
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