A US$100 000 investment is set to transform livelihoods at Kings Camp in Binga, as development partners move to end the long-standing exploitation of local fishermen by middlemen who have been buying fish at unsustainably low prices.
The intervention, spearheaded under the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) Phase 2, will see the installation of a cold chain facility valued at US$52 000, alongside a solar-powered system and borehole, to enhance productivity and protect the value of the fish.
For years, fishermen at Kings Camp have been forced to sell their catch for as little as US$1 per kilogramme due to lack of storage facilities, racing against time to avoid spoilage.
With the new infrastructure, producers are targeting market prices ranging between US$3,50 and US$4 per kilogramme.
Nyarai Siampande drying fish at Kings Camp in Binga
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Dr Ayodele Odusola, said the investment — ranging between US$60 000 and US$100 000 — is designed to transform the fishing camp into a sustainable business model.
“Our objective is to make this fishing camp a sustainable business. We do not want them to be ripped off by middlemen who buy their fish at very ridiculous prices,” said Dr Odusola.
“In addition to the borehole and solar system, we are installing a cold chain facility that will enhance productivity. We are targeting a minimum of 15 tonnes of fish per month at normal market prices, not the exploitative prices they have been forced to accept.”
A 40-cubic-metre container is being installed to serve as a cold storage unit, enabling fishers to preserve their catch and negotiate better prices.
Dr Odusola said sustainability would be anchored on private sector participation, with a company identified to run the facility as a viable business venture, while fishermen receive financial literacy and management training.
“We want them to manage this successfully. The private sector will run it as a business concern, while we build the capacity of the fishermen so they can maintain operations and improve their financial management,” he said.
Kings Camp has 26 fishing permit holders, each employing at least two people, translating to more than 50 direct jobs.
The new facility is expected to stabilise incomes and stimulate economic activity in the area.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is offering technical support in natural resource management and agriculture while being strengthened by the Resilience Knowledge Hub (Mercy Corps) through evidence generation and catalytic support, and implemented on the ground in the Mid-Zambezi through consortium partners DanChurchAid and the Ushingi Consortium.
In an intervie,a fisherman, Mr Mereki Siankwazi from Binga, said the lack of storage had left fishers vulnerable.
“We used to sell our fish at US$1 per kilogramme because the fish would rot quickly. Buyers knew we had no option,” he said.
“With this cold room, we can now wait for better prices and earn what our fish is really worth.”
Ms Nyarai Siampande said the intervention would empower women in the sector.
“Sometimes buyers dictated prices because they knew we were desperate. This project gives us bargaining power and dignity,” she said.
Mr Tichaona Musaka from Chief Mola said the development marked a turning point.
“The biggest challenge was racing against time before the fish spoiled. Now we can store it properly and even target bigger markets,” he said.
With a monthly production target of at least 15 tonnes, the Kings Camp initiative is expected to enhance household incomes, curb exploitation and position fishing as a viable commercial enterprise in Binga.
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