Embrace aqua culture, Cottan urges farmers

Embrace aqua culture, Cottan urges farmers
Written by Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Monday, October 05, 2009 8:43:28 PM

NATIONAL Milling Corporation (NMC) managing director Peter Cottan has encouraged Zambian entrepreneurs to venture into aqua culture as it provides an opportunity for income generation.

During the unveiling of the new NMC branch in Kitwe that will cater for markets in Copperbelt, North Western, Luapula and Northern provinces, Cottan disclosed that the milling company had introduced fish feeds as one of its products to encourage fish farming.

"We want to promote aqua culture because it provides a huge opportunity for empowerment. Fish is not just an excellent source of protein but it is also an opportunity for small-scale fish farmers to generate income," said Cottan.

Cottan said the Zambian aqua industry had enormous potential to meet market demands but that currently, this was not the case.

He said he had spoken to the Shoprite managing director who was also in support of NMC's idea to introduce fish feeds.

Cottan observed that firms such as Shoprite imported over 80 per cent of their tilapia (fish) not because they wanted to but because the local industry could not provide it.

And speaking earlier, Cottan said NMC wanted to contribute to development in rural provinces such as Luapula and North Western provinces.

And Luapula Province permanent secretary Jazzman Chikwakwa welcomed the opening of the new branch to supply to four provinces, saying that it would help small-scale farmers find a ready market for their maize.

"This will stop unscrupulous traders from swindling hard working farmers," said Chikwakwa.

He added that the opening of the new office would also reduce smuggling of maize meal to neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile, Copperbelt permanent secretary Villie Lombanya, in a speech read for him by provincial assistant secretary Stephen Lindunda, said NMC's investment in the province would make the staple food readily available to people.

He said shortages of mealie-meal usually became political and that the new investment was a well-calculated step to curb such occurrences.

Lombanya added that NMC's investment was testimony of good governance in the country as there could not be investments in the absence of good governance.