25 Mar 2024

Mmadinare Community has been encouraged to take advantage of Letsibogo and Dikgatlhong dams to tap into the unexploited fisheries sub-sector to improve their livelihoods.

The current estimates indicate that the local fish production stands at 550 tonnes against a national demand of 5000 tonnes per annum.

Assistant Minister of Agriculture Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi was speaking at Robelela during the Dikgatlhong Fish Festival themed; Unlocking the Potentiality of Fish Farming in Botswana over the weekend.

He said the gap between fish supply and demand was increasing at an alarming rate in most SADC countries at 570 000 metric tonnes per annum.

Locally, the assistant minister said, the country was experiencing a fish deficit of about 4450 tonnes which was met through imports.

He said the sub-sector had potential that remained untapped.

Unlike other countries, he said, Botswana was not endowed with vast natural water bodies with Okavango, Chobe and Limpopo rivers being the main natural water bodies.

He said these were augmented by Water Utilities Corporation dams and community livestock watering dams, the reason why fish production in the country was very low.

The assistant minister said Mmadinare constituency had Letsibogo and Dikgatlhong dams to their advantage urging residents to use these available resources to sustain livelihoods.

“Those in Mmadinare constituency are very fortunate as you are blessed with Letsibogo and Dikgatlhong dams,” he said.

Molebatsi also added that the sub-sector was faced with challenges such as lack of funding, lack of technical expertise and un-serviced land in terms of water, electricity, roads and other infrastructure associated with its development.

The fish festival, he said provided a platform to showcase the considerable potential that the aquaculture industry and inland fisheries held for livelihoods, socio-economic empowerment and economic diversification.

He urged fishers to use the platform for interaction amongst themselves, farmers, investors and other stakeholders.

For his part the Deputy Permanent Secretary for Aquaculture and Apiculture under the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Ghulam Kibria said the government was intentional about creating a conducive environment for aquaculture growth.

He said the government recognised that aquaculture had the potential to contribute meaningfully towards the food and nutrition sector, job creation, economic development as well as livelihoods and rural development.

He said the Ministry of Agriculture had come up with the National Aquaculture Strategy and Action Plan (2021-2026) to provide a roadmap for the sustainable development and management of aquaculture and inland fisheries.

Collaborative efforts with international partners such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and neighbouring countries are also underway to boost aquaculture development and inland fisheries management.ENDS