PAZESA Horticultural Community has witnessed another bumper harvest of fish on 24th October, 2013 at Penner Roberts Gardens, respectively, in Chiparamba Agricultural Block of Chipata district in Zambia. 800kgs of fish was harvested from 2 fish ponds belonging to Mrs Felistus Phiri. Felistus Phiri, a 28 year old young woman, keeping 8 children of whom 4 are orphans, who was trained and empowered in fish farming by PAZESA Horticultural Community with financial support from firelight foundation of USA, has managed to produce a bumper fish harvest worth over $1, 600 USD from a 500m squared fish pond at a minimum total production cost of $100 USD. Despite the inadequate rainfall, Felistus has prepared to pass-on to 2 other families. She is determined to procure enough agricultural inputs for the next season.
A 500m2 fish pond stocked with 500 brooders (of rendarii and andersonii species {poly-culture mixed species})
in December 2012 at a stocking cost of $100
USD produced 800kgs worth $1,600 USD at $4/kg of table-size fish
during this partial harvest. The
owner of the fish pond, Felistus Phiri,
proudly explained that she uses ‘agro-forestry
biomass and animal manure’ to
fertilize her fish pond. She still has
numerous fish and fingerlings left in the pond. Mrs Felistus Phiri hopes to Pass-on to two other fish farmers who
she has already identified in order to scale-up
the project and leverage resource provision.
The harvest
was organized and done by PAZESA
Horticultural Community, “Global Innovators Network for Rural Development in
Africa” in conjunction with officers from the Department of Fisheries and Chipata
Aquacultural Research Station. Mr. Robert Goma, a specialist fish-culturist
and Researcher urged other fish farmers to practice sustainable integrated fish
farming for poverty alleviation. He said that ‘fish farming has comparatively less labor as compared to other
agricultural ventures. Fish farming is highly rewarding, a money spinner, and a
reliable boat for poverty alleviation in rural areas. Fish farmers themselves control
the pricing, hectarege and productivity as there are no limitations as to how
many ponds a farmer should have. The cost
of running is affordable, minimal, reasonable and realistic whilst the returns
are always overwhelmingly abundant’.
PAZESA
Horticultural Community practices the Triple
Multiplier Pass-on effect strategy to scale-up
and maximize the project impact among the rural under privileged
(the inadequately served populations). This strategy brings hope to the hopeless rural poor as they economically empower
each other, they team up to create rural community responsibility for poverty
alleviation, fight HIV/AIDS and reduce food insecurity in the community. Fish
farming provides very good readily available
fish proteins for people living with HIV/AIDS
enhancing positively living through better nutrition. This is a very good income generating activity for people
living with HIV because the once established the cost or running and labor, is
minimal as compare to the start-up cost.
“Triple Multiplier Pass-on effect” is an innovative approach used to create project sustainability, maximize project impact, facilitate scalability and
coax community adoption of the project. The philosophy incites project
beneficiaries to become grass-root
donors by passing on a certain percentage of their profits to other
vulnerable families. Three circles of beneficiary generations are therefore
created as the first direct beneficiary empowers 2 other beneficiaries
(subsequent beneficiaries). These subsequent beneficiaries latter pass-on to 1
beneficiary each their by maximizing the project impact. This process turns the
rural poor who are beneficiaries into Grass-Root
Donors so as to leverage resources
mobilization; every beneficiary becomes a potential grass-root donor who
empowers others in his community.
Nevertheless,
these fish farmers face a lot of challenges especially caused by climate change
and predators. Most wetlands dry-up during the dry season which is a threat to
fish farming as the ponds dry-up. Otters are also a very big problem because
they invade the fish ponds and eat the fish at night especially during the dry
season. These challenges can be mitigated through joint efforts of donors,
PAZESA and the community. We need to include a strong component of climate
mitigation/resilience, watershed management and water harvesting techniques as
well as secure the fish ponds by strong fencing.
PAZESA
Horticultural Community therefore urges all donors to support integrated fish
farming, combat climate change and empower the rural under privileged through
sustainable livelihood skills. Merge
fish farming with HIV/AIDS programs,
women and youth economic empowerment and rural development to minimize adverse impact and you will never regret.
Special thanks to Firelight
Foundation, department of fisheries and the US Peace Corps in Zambia for your
support.
Let us empowering the marginalized Inadequately Served Populations in rural areas of Southern africa through viable and integrated fish farming
Let us empowering the marginalized Inadequately Served Populations in rural areas of Southern africa through viable and integrated fish farming
If
you are interested to support PAZESA Horticultural Community, the
Global Innovators' Network for Rural Development in Africa, please do
not hesitate to contact us on:
pazesacommunity@gmail.com or ginrda@gmail.com
Looking forward for another exciting episode of the activities at PAZESA.
Enjoy the reading!
Paul Phiri
Executive Director
