AfricaPress-Tanzania: DEPUTY Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Pauline Gekul has encouraged the youth to engage in fish farming as a way of generating income and curb unemployment.
Ms Gekul made the call recently when she visited a fish farming company, Bigfish, in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam.
According to her, the government is strengthening fish farming using ponds as ordinary fishing practice leads to a reduction in fish species.
She said among the remedies which would help the youth secure employment was through engaging themselves in fish farming.
She, however, noted that the government planned to devise guidelines and strategies related to fish farming to make it more sustainable and enable farmers to conduct their activities in accordance with procedures.
“The government intends to empower the youth by building ponds, provide training on better fish farming to curb unemployment facing the country.”
Ms Gekul recounted pledges made by President John Magufuli to create eight million jobs some of which were expected to be obtained from the fisheries sector.
Besides creating jobs, the move is expected to empower the youth and people with disabilities economically, stressing that the groups should utilise the opportunity.
The deputy minister also directed all councils countrywide to set aside 10 per cent of their revenue for the empowerment of the youth and people with disabilities.
“I am aware of the challenges facing fish farmers, including fish fingerling, lack of adequate and reliable fish food supply,” remarked the deputy minister.
She challenged the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (Tafiri) to address challenges. Fish farming is expected to solve the illegal fishing problem because it will serve as an alternative source of income.
