Govt launches Luanshya fish farming project

Government has launched a Fish farming project in Luanshya district under the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) targeted at producing 90 tonnes per year.
The fish farming harvest would translate into K40 million annual gross income.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Robert Sichinga said the launch was the actualization of the Patriotic Front (PF) government’s promise of industrialization and job creation through empowerment.
Speaking in Luanshya when he launched the Dairy and Fish Farming projects in Kafubu block, Sichinga noted that government was looking at natural and developing endowments in every district and translating them into building blocks of economic development by adding them to business components under the value chain clusters.
He said the Copperbelt was one large and growing market for consumable products and as such CEEC would develop the diary, agro and aquaculture industries well suited to the environment to empower the local people.
Mr Sichinga however noted that despite Zambia holding 40 percent of fresh water resources in the region, the country was sadly still importing over 40, 000 metric tones of fish every year.
He emphasized the need to grow the aquaculture industry to reduce the shortage caused by the depletion of fish sticks in most of the country’s lakes and rivers.
And the Commerce Minister said government has achieved its campaign promise of job creation by creating 1000 in its first tenure of office out of the promised 4000.
Mr Sichinga however added that the 1000 jobs were not good enough as many people across the country were still jobless therefore the need to promote initiatives such as the value chain clusters.
He said government through the CEEC has this year funded 1,526 projects out of the 8,172 applications at a cost of K48 million dismissing allegations that government was only funding PF cadres saying the selection was done in a transparent manner.
He urged beneficiaries of the revolving fund to work hard to ensure that they pay back the loans to make continuity and success of the project a reality.
And Luanshya District Administrative Officer Michael Tandeo said the district was on a continuous recovery path focused on diversification from mining to other development projects.
Mr. Tandeo observed that embarking on dairy and aquaculture industry would positively affect the economic performance of the district.
Meanwhile, CEEC Director General Likando Mukumbuta disclosed that the Commission had approved the application by Fisenge Women’s Dairy Association to set- up of a milk processing plant in Luanshya.
He said the processing plant once opened would add value to the milk currently being produced in the district as it would be processed into yoghurt and other milk products.
Mr Mukumbuta noted that the plant would also improve individual farmer’s income of up to K50,000 per month.