Zambia working to close fish deficit by 2026 – Livestock and Fisheries Minister

ZAMBIA – The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries says Zambia could eliminate its national fish deficit within the next three years, aiming for self-sufficiency by 2026.

Minister Makozo Chikote told the Zambian Business Times that the country currently faces a shortfall of approximately 35 metric tons of fish, based on 2022 estimates.

To address this, he said the government is rolling out several measures to scale up fish production, with aquaculture playing a central role in narrowing the gap.

He explained that the ministry is offering financial support to fish farmers through the Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project (ZAEDP), which provides loans starting from around US$6,500 (K150,000).

For loan amounts exceeding US$21,600 (K500,000), collateral is required, but the minister believes the initiative is encouraging many farmers to boost output.

In addition to financial assistance, Chikote noted that the ministry has trained field officers to offer extension services and help farmers adopt modern aquaculture practices.

He added that making fish farming a viable business for smallholder farmers is a key objective of the government’s aquaculture strategy.

However, Chikote acknowledged that the high cost of fish feed remains a hurdle and said efforts are underway to lower these expenses to support sustainability in the sector.

Another major concern, he said, is the limited availability of fingerlings, especially in rural areas such as Kivuku in North Western Province.

Farmers in such areas must often transport fingerlings from Copperbelt, which increases costs and limits access.

To tackle this, the ministry has introduced an initiative called Aqua Pack to assist farmers in acquiring essential resources for aquaculture activities.

Chikote said the government is also seeking partnerships to build hatcheries in various regions to improve fingerling availability locally.

He said the plan is to have hatcheries in all high-potential areas so that farmers no longer have to travel long distances to source fingerlings.

Fish Production and Demand

According to government data, Zambia produced 168,480 metric tons of fish in 2021, with capture fisheries contributing around 100,000 tons annually.

Aquaculture has been growing steadily, with production rising by 19% between 2021 and 2022 to reach about 75,000 tons.

Despite this growth, Zambia remains a net importer of fish, bringing in nearly 79,941 tons in 2020 to meet domestic demand.

Projections show that national fish consumption will climb to 86,000 tons by 2026, further increasing the need for domestic production.

The Food and Agriculture Organization reports that aquaculture output rose from 4,240 tons in 2000 to 45,670 tons in 2020, highlighting the sector’s long-term growth.

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