Private sector, key for boosting fish production
Minister of Natural Resources Patricia Wiskes says Malawi’s aquaculture sector has great potential to contribute towards food security, employment creation and national economic growth. She said this on Thursday in Lilongwe when she engaged with Central Poultry (CP) Feeds Limited in a meeting aimed at advancing fish feed production and aquaculture development in Malawi. COPYRIGHT … The post Private sector, key for boosting fish production appeared first on Nation Online.
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Minister of Natural Resources Patricia Wiskes says Malawi’s aquaculture sector has great potential to contribute towards food security, employment creation and national economic growth.
She said this on Thursday in Lilongwe when she engaged with Central Poultry (CP) Feeds Limited in a meeting aimed at advancing fish feed production and aquaculture development in Malawi.
Wiskes emphasised the government’s commitment to engage strategic private sector partners, such as CP Feeds Limited, to unlock investments capable of boosting production across the aquaculture value-chain.
“The country is currently facing high demand for fish amid declining stocks in Lake Malawi, making aquaculture a critical solution for increasing fish production.
“Fish feed production remains inadequate to meet the growing demand from fish farmers across the country,” she said.
In his remarks, CP Feeds Limited managing director Nizam Kasmani, assured government of the company’s readiness and capacity to invest in aquaculture development in the country.
Kasmani disclosed that the company is already producing approximately 200 000 metric tonnes (MT) of chicken feed annually, demonstrating its strong production capacity and technical expertise in feed manufacturing.
Kasmani said: “CP Feeds Limited has the capacity to produce up to 45 000 MT of fish feed through the utilisation of the existing Kanengo feed mill, operationalisation of the Mzuzu Fish Feed Mill, and establishment of additional facilities where necessary,” he said.
Kasmani also expressed interest to invest in fingerling production, including both pond and cage aquaculture, as well as possible operations in Salima and at the Kasinthula Aquaculture Centre.
He added: “I would like to commend government for creating an enabling environment for private sector participation in aquaculture, and we reaffirm our company’s commitment to continued collaboration with the Department of Fisheries.”
The meeting also discussed the need for increased investment in fingerling production to support Malawi’s target of producing 100 000 MT of fish annually by 2030.
Current national demand for fingerlings is estimated at 125 MT.
Meanwhile, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Government of Malawi, through the Department of Fisheries, and CP Feeds Limited.
The MoU focuses on implementing a fish feed trial in Mangochi and marks the beginning of a broader collaboration between the government and the private sector in transforming Malawi’s aquaculture industry.
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