International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has explained how Technologies of African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) is empowering African youths economically.
According to the Institute, the youth compact of TAAT has the mandate to empower African youth economically, pointing out that it does this by exposing youth to agribusiness value chains and various profitability mechanisms.
The compact, also called ENABLE-TAAT, has recorded recurring success among the youth who make their livelihood from the aquaculture value chain in Zambia.
At the end of 2021, ENABLE-TAAT beneficiaries from the “Mkushi Youth Skills” Fish Cluster harvested over 1000 kg of fresh fish from their fishponds.
With the start of a new year, the youth continued to operate and manage their fish farming enterprise; they re-stocked some fishponds and embarked on the second production cycle.
Income generated from their previous harvest has been re-invested in the purchase of fish feed and 19,000 juvenile fingerlings from Chalata Fisheries, which the Ministry of Fisheries operates.
The cluster has a reserve of 278.5 bags of fish feed, covering the whole culture period of six months. Joseph Mwitwa, the Cluster Coordinator, has assured ENABLE-TAAT Zambia of another profitable cycle.
He said all group-owned facilities and resources would be well managed to grow fish to the desired market size and generate more profit at the end of the culture period.
The youth cluster plans to harvest and sell their fish on a client-order basis, establishing clients within Mkushi Town and the neighboring region.
This will affect subsequent production cycles and stagger the fish harvest to ensure a continuous supply of fish in the Mkushi.
The agripreneurs have been able to attract a good market and are looking to maintain the enterprise such that it becomes the largest supplier of fish in Mkushi.
ENABLE-TAAT continues to provide mentorship for the youth through the stages of their progress to ensure sustainability.
