KAGERA Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Professor Faustin Kamuzora has urged residents and the general public to consider investing in aquaculture to increase raw materials for the country's fish processing industries.
"For quite a long time, the contribution from the fisheries sector has remained minimal, contributing to only 1.71 per cent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The sixth phase government will continue to encourage and set a conducive environment for investors in the country, to fulfill the country's enormous fish production goals through aquaculture," he said.
He appealed to citizens to utilize the opportunity by joining hands to start cage fish farming, saying the business was very lucrative.
Prof Kamuzora explained that a typical individual in the world should consume at least 20.5 kilograms of fish per year, while in Tanzania the average person consumes only 8.5kg. Elaborating, he said Tanzania is very rich with many lakes including Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa and abundant satellite lakes and rivers.
Meanwhile, local communities in Bukoba Rural district's Rubafu ward have started cage fish farming, so that they, too, can enhance output for themselves and the country as a whole.
This follows the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kagera regional leaders, Ministry for Livestock Development, Tanzania Agricultural Catalytic Trust (TACT) and Nelson Mandela African Institution of Sciences and Technology that was also witnessed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Livestock Development (Fisheries), Dr Rashid Tamatamah.
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Dr Tamatamah said that Kagera region had been chosen as a pilot area where cage fish farming would be implemented before the programme was expanded to other areas. He explained that the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Sciences and Technology would spearhead research on aquatic creatures and would soon open a campus in Bukoba Municipal Council.
"We are delighted that the MoU for the implementation of the project has been finalized. Every one of us should play his/her role to increase revenue from fisheries resources. We have the ability and capacity of doing this," he said.
He also revealed that the Center for Aquaculture Technology had already been completed located at Lubambangwe village, in Geita region's Chato district, a project that cost about 3.07bn/- on completion.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Tanzania Agricultural Catalytic Trust (TACT), Dr John Kyaruzi commended authorities in Kagera region for allocating enough land at Kyamalange village, in Bukoba Rural's Rubafu ward where cage fish farming activities would be conducted on pilot basis while TACT would undertake funding of the program.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Jahazi East Africa Co Ltd, Leonard Slyvanus, who also witnessed the signing of the MoU held in Bukoba Municipal Council pledged to inject about 26 million US dollars (approximately 54bn/-) in the cage fish farming project. "The company was well prepared to find suitable markets for fisheries resources once the project stats operation," he said.
The Lake Victoria fishery contributes immensely to the socio-economic development of the riparian states. The East African Community (EAC) has designated the lake basin as an 'economic growth zone', with the potential to develop into a major economic region.
