Youth tipped to tap into fisheries value chain opportunity

MWANZA: THE government in Mwanza Region has underscored the need to empower young people to participate fully in the fisheries value chain to create jobs, attract investment and boost economic growth through the sustainable use of water resources.

The call was made yesterday by the Mwanza Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Mr Balandya Elikana, during a meeting that brought together fisheries stakeholders and officials from the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB).

Mr Balandya said the fisheries sector still offers enormous untapped opportunities, but low investment has limited its contribution to economic development.

He called for the establishment of an enabling investment environment to encourage greater youth participation in fisheries value chain activities beyond fishing, including fish seed production, fish feed manufacturing, aquaculture, fish processing, value addition and marketing.

“We cannot achieve the development we expect if young people are not fully involved in this sector. We need to increase investment at every stage of the value chain so that the fisheries sector becomes a major source of employment and income,” he said.

Mr Balandya noted that inadequate supplies of raw materials for fish meal production, including soybeans, maize and fish by-products, continue to constrain production despite the presence of a fish meal processing plant in Magu District.

He stressed the need for closer collaboration between the agriculture and fisheries sectors to increase production of the required raw materials, saying the move would lower production costs, improve productivity among fish farmers and strengthen the sector’s competitiveness.

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The RAS also called on TADB to ensure its financing reaches the entire fisheries value chain, saying this would enable more young people to engage in fisheries-related businesses instead of benefiting only a few investors.

TADB Director of Treasury, Mr Nicholas Mkisi, said the bank’s delegation was in Mwanza to assess the implementation of cage fish farming projects and gather feedback from stakeholders on achievements, challenges and areas requiring improvement.

He said the assessment would help the bank improve implementation of its programmes and ensure the funds provided increase productivity and deliver tangible benefits to beneficiaries.

The Permanent Secretary’s representative from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Nazel Madalla, said the docket is in the final stages of preparations to disburse loans to beneficiaries under various fisheries development programmes.

He said names of successful beneficiaries will be announced once all procedures are completed, while urging eligible citizens to prepare to take advantage of the opportunities.

Mr Madalla also commended the Mwanza Regional Commissioner’s Office for effectively coordinating fisheries development programmes, saying the collaboration has contributed to the successful implementation of projects in the region.