Minister of Fisheries and Livestock Professor Nkandu Luo has revealed that Zambia’s fish deficit has greatly reduced due to the massive investment in the aquaculture sector by the government.
Prof. Luo said she has instructed her officers to immediately carry out an inventory to ascertain the country’s current stock.
She said it would be wrong to continue stating that the country has an annual fish deficit of over 89,000 metric tonnes.
Prof. Luo noted that her ministry has allocated around US $50 million towards the aquaculture sector which she said has changed the narrative.
“We have to thank President Edgar Lungu for having separated the fisheries and livestock from the main agriculture, through this we have scored a lot because before, the investment was buried under other sub-sectors,” Prof. Luo said.
She added that many youth groups across the country have benefited from the ongoing aquaculture programmes, a move she said has led to an increase in fish production.
“We have done a lot and I know our deficit has gone down if at all there is any, that is why I have asked my officers so that we do an inventory, we can’t keep on using those old figures, things have changed and we are working,” she stated.
And Prof. Luo has encouraged all those benefiting from the aquaculture programmes to do their best and do more.
She said Zambia has been opened up and those in the aquaculture should take advantage of the opened-up Zambia to engage in export of various products.
