Time to empower local players in aquaculture

Building a strong economy requires good planning and sound strategy in exploiting existing natural resources and geographical locations.

It is thus not surprising that the aquaculture sub-sector, which is part and parcel of the blue economy concept, is now gaining traction in Tanzania.

Experts define aquaculture as the rearing of aquatic animals or cultivation of aquatic plants for food in fresh, brackish, or marine environments.

They also note that the sub-sector is of crucial importance globally because it helps to meet the world’s ever-growing demand for seafood in addition to providing people in developing countries with healthy protein, while reducing pressure on fish stocks.

Needless to say, aquaculture offers many environmental benefits relative to other forms of rearing animals.

Marine aquaculture operations typically have a smaller carbon footprint and require less land and fresh water. They are more efficient at converting feed into protein for human consumption than beef, pork and poultry.

Studies have also revealed the great importance of integrated fish culture in augmenting farm production, optimising utilisation of farm resources, generating employment, disposing of agricultural waste, producing adequate food for populations and generally improving the economy of rural areas.

Reports that Tanzania is now part of a regional push to boost aquaculture are welcome.

This comes at a time when Tanzania, particularly Zanzibar, has already unveiled strategies and adopted policies aimed at bolstering the blue economy.

As discussed above, the benefits are plenty, from job creation through the value-addition chain to improving the population’s nutritional uptake.

It is crucial that the government embraces the key decisions passed during the consultative workshop themed Strengthening Stakeholders’ Engagement, Role and Consultative Mechanisms in African Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector.

The government should create an enabling environment so that those who are engaged in the sub-sector can have the capacity to operate commercially.

Kick-start leather industry

Despite Tanzania being home to one of the largest livestock herds in Africa, the country’s leather industry is still far from realising its full potential.

Tanzania is estimated to have more than 30 million head of cattle. This alone is enough to make it the leading producer of leather goods – including footwear, handbags, belts, jackets and wallets – in East Africa instead of importing them.

The country produces an estimated four million pieces of hides and skins annually, most of which end up in dump-sites for lack of functional value-addition facilities.

Currently, Tanzania has about 150 small manufacturers of leather goods, which, however, are unable to satisfy domestic demand. The country’s annual demand for footwear, for example, is estimated at 54 million pairs, but less than 2 million pairs are produced by local manufacturers.

There is a need to facilitate investment in leather value addition sooner than later.