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Fish Tidings Newsletter - Issue 1 - 2012
Aquaculture Zimbabwe Trust
April 03, 2012

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An update on the IAASL project in the Lowveld

The PRP Integrated Agriculture Aquaculture for Sustainable Livelihoods (IAASL) project has steadily taken off the ground with mobilization and sensitization meetings having been successfully conducted in both districts (Masvingo and Chivi). Identification of beneficiaries and recommendation and adoption of sites for pond construction has been largely successful and due credit is hereby given to our stakeholders namely the department of livestock production (DLPD), the department of agriculture extension (Agritex), Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZNPWMA).

This lead story is prepared in fulfilment of Aquaculture Zimbabwe's mandate to disseminate and share project progress information with all stakeholders as accredited above and our utmost acknowledgement that this initiative would be a pipe dream without their consultation and consent. Credit is also given to community leadership structures for successfully coordinating a smooth entry into the districts and wards identified for project activities. What follows is an outline of what successes and challenges the IAASL project has met since its inception in July 2011. The period under review has generally been stable given that AZ operations have been proceeding well across the two districts of Chivi and Masvingo. The environment has largely been enabling considering the overwhelming response that the project has enjoyed since its inception. There was significant political stability in the province with little or no major incidence of political upheaval being reported. However at the national level, There remains an air of socio-economic and political uncertainty with omni-present signs of a disintegrating GNU whose policies are constantly marred by deep sitting conflict and contradictions. Such lack of common ground has compromised food security while perpetuating poverty even at the household level. There has been very little in terms of government support to rural populations in order to improve their critical livelihoods situation despite a series of support schemes that never really make any impact. The onset of the rainy season brought great optimism in the province although there have been very little rains to date pointing to great uncertainty over harvests and a good crop. Most households planted cereal crops and remain hopeful that the situation improves in the short term.The productive sectors of the economy continue in a depressed mood, with little or no external inflows of financial aid to jumpstart a doddering economy. Perhaps the onus remains on the civic society and the non-governmental fraternity to review their focus on the health and livelihoods of marginalised populations. Food availability and nutrition therefore remain critical areas warranting national, regional and global attention. Masvingo District has been successfully stocked with close to 400,000 fish while Chivi District has received close to 150,000 fish to date and the survival rates have been 99%. Beneficiary registration is now complete with a total of 500 benefiting households registered with AZ.

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