Esau urges //Karas to farm in fish

KEETMANSHOOP – The //­Karas region has great potential for fish farming, fisheries minister Bernhard Esau said during a fish harvest session at the Fonteintjie fish farm in Keetmanshoop on Saturday.

“I am very pleased to note that there is potential to start fish farming, aquaculture, here in //Karas,” he said.

Esau said the government is committed to developing aquaculture, especially fresh water aquaculture as, while not discounting mariculture, fish farming must happen where there is water.

The region has many water bodies such as the Orange River, Fish River, Naute Dam and the soon-to-be completed Neckartal Dam, he said.

“I urge local and regional councillors to set aside pieces of land along the water bodies to be given to the people of the region to start farming with fish as fish farming is also an opportunity,” said Esau.

He said the Fonteintjie fish farm aims to fight poverty within the community, improve food security and create jobs.

“But the community must take ownership of the project. The ministry is there to show the community that you can make a business and generate income from aquaculture; you only need the land and water, which you have here in //­Karas,” he stressed.

Esau said there is big demand for tilapia water fish in the world as the aquaculture market is growing fast and if Namibia misses the opportunity to produce and supply for that market, then it will remain stuck as a Third World country, a world of dependency and not food self-sufficiency.

He urged workers at Fonteintjie to empower the community through conducting workshops on how fish farming works as he believes this will help the community create employment for themselves.

“Through such empowerment we can become job creators. Aquaculture is the opportunity for our people to create jobs for themselves and for others,” Esau concluded.

– Nampa