Fish farming in Kavango flourishing

THE Karovo and Mpungu fish farms in the Kavango Region are earmarked to become more productive before the end of this year to complement the government’s Green Scheme project.

Activities at the two fish farms will soon include growing more vegetables and fruit, and farming with ducks.The acting director of the Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries’ Institute (KIFI), Dr Erhard Klingelhoeffer said last week that the two fish farms are currently being upgraded to establish water pipes and irrigation systems to get water from the Okavango River.Klingelhoeffer said contractors are expected to complete the upgrading of the two fish farms by October this year.Fisheries Minister Dr Abraham Iyambo who visited the area, said that although the Karovo fish farm experienced heavy flooding this year, it was well maintained.’Karovo has produced a lot of vegetables, and the two big fish ponds with
18 000 fish, will be ready for harvesting in October, h the Minister said.This fish farm, located in the Mukwe Constituency east of Rundu, has 25 workers, while the Mpungu fish farm in western Kavango has 26 workers.Klingelhoeffer, together with Chinese fisheries’ expert Professor Xiau Xiue as well as two Cuban experts Noris Millares Dorado and Mabel Navarro Jam, accompanied the Minister.Meanwhile Dr Iyambo has turned down a new site allocated to relocate the Shipapo Wambambangandu fish farm.Following heavy floods experienced in March this year, the Fisheries Ministry decided that the farm should be relocated to higher grounds, because the farm was situated too close to the river. All four breeding ponds, a nursery, production ponds as well as storerooms, offices and houses at the farm were flooded in March this year.Dr Klingelhoeffer told Iyambo that the Shambyu Traditional Authority gave them three sites to choose from on the outskirts of Rundu, but they were not suitable.’All three sites are too sandy and the water there is too deep, and not suitable to establish a fish farm or grow vegetation there, h according to Klingelhoeffer. Fisheries’ officials had now identified a potential site, less sandy and not even one kilometre away from the River.The 23 workers who were stationed at the farm, have been sent home and are without jobs now.The Shipapo Wambambangandu fish farm was rehabilitated on several occasions to prevent it from flooding, but it proved futile because the water pressure coming from the river has always been strong.Since 2003 when the fish farm was established, it has always been flooded, resulting in a loss of revenue for workers who run the farm. – Nampa