• Five-year strategy targets stronger production and market structure
• Project backed by EU and Germany to improve inputs and cold chain
• Plan aims to reduce fish supply gap and boost local aquaculture

Zimbabwe has launched its first marketing strategy for the farmed tilapia value chain, developed with support from txhe Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as part of efforts to strengthen its aquaculture sector.

The roadmap, covering the 2026–2030 period, sets out a framework to boost local production, structure markets, and improve the value of tilapia. According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture on March 24, the initiative is backed by $5 million in funding from the European Union and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The plan focuses on improving access to quality fingerlings, fish feed, and best aquaculture practices, while also investing in cold chain infrastructure and fish processing capacity.

“The strategy introduces a phased rollout focusing on infrastructure, specifically establishing aggregation hubs and cold-chain logistics, including the Mutare Cold Room Unit (MCRU). It further prioritizes standardization through the implementation of Minimum Viable Packaging Standards (MVPS) and traceability to ensure food safety, while driving value addition by transitioning from selling raw whole fish to processed fillets, smoked products, and ready-to-cook meals,” the ministry said.

The initiative aligns with Zimbabwe’s goal of increasing tilapia production to 14,000 tons by 2032. By comparison, total aquaculture output stood at 4,942 tons in 2024, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), with tilapia accounting for about 90% of production.

According to Milton Tinashe Makumbe, director of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries Production at the Ministry of Agriculture, the strategy is also intended to position aquaculture as a key contributor to domestic supply. Currently, fish demand is largely met through inland fisheries and imports.

Zimbabwe’s annual fish demand is estimated at 60,000 tons, while local supply—combining capture fisheries and aquaculture—reaches about 35,000 tons, leaving a production gap of around 41% that authorities aim to close.

Stéphanas Assocle