Zimbabwe has launched its first-ever tilapia value chain marketing strategy, marking a major step in positioning aquaculture as a key driver of the country’s rapidly growing blue economy. The new strategy serves as a national roadmap to strengthen tilapia production, develop structured markets, improve value addition, and reduce dependence on imported fish. Developed with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) through its FISH4ACP project, the strategy was created in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe and the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), reflecting a coordinated effort to unlock the sector’s economic and food security potential.
The strategy was finalized after extensive research, consultations, and validation by stakeholders across Zimbabwe’s aquaculture sector, particularly in Manicaland and Harare provinces. These discussions confirmed that the country has laid the groundwork to transform tilapia into a competitive and well-organized commodity for both domestic and regional markets. Officials described the strategy as the beginning of a new phase for Zimbabwe’s aquaculture industry, with a focus on aligning market evidence, stakeholder priorities, and long-term sector ambitions into a unified development plan.
At its core, the Tilapia Value Chain Marketing Strategy aims to boost aquaculture production and improve the efficiency of market systems while also contributing to national food security. It prioritizes increasing farmer productivity by improving access to quality fingerlings, fish feed, and better aquaculture practices. The strategy also calls for investments in cold chain infrastructure, stronger quality assurance systems, and improved traceability throughout the value chain to ensure better standards and market confidence.
In addition to production improvements, the strategy places strong emphasis on value addition and market positioning. It promotes the development of locally processed tilapia products and stronger branding efforts to establish Zimbabwean tilapia as a premium and trusted source of protein. By encouraging local processing and better market presentation, the plan seeks to increase profitability for producers while making the sector more competitive and sustainable over time.
The strategy also highlights inclusivity and stronger sector coordination as central to its success. It aims to create more opportunities for women, who already play an important role in the tilapia value chain, by expanding access to finance, training, and markets so they can grow their enterprises and participate more fully in the blue economy. At the institutional level, the strategy strengthens the role of the Agricultural Marketing Authority as a lead market development body and promotes stronger collaboration among government, financial institutions, producers, and other stakeholders to improve governance and align investment.
Overall, the launch of the strategy signals Zimbabwe’s ambition to build a more productive, resilient, and inclusive aquaculture sector. Backed by FAO’s FISH4ACP programme, which is implemented with support from the European Union and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the initiative is expected to contribute to food and nutrition security, job creation, economic growth, and reduced reliance on fish imports, while helping Zimbabwe establish tilapia as a strategic component of its blue economy.
