Cold Chain Facility in Kariba Revolutionises Local Fishing Industry
A landmark development is underway in Kariba to transform the local fishing industry, with the establishment of a cold chain facility at Kings Camp under a US$100,000 investment. This initiative aims to end the exploitation of fishermen by middlemen who, for years, capitalised on the absence of proper storage, forcing fishers to sell their catch at drastically low prices.
Historically, fishermen at Kings Camp had to sell their fish for as little as US$1 per kilogramme due to the rapid spoilage of their catch. Without reliable cold storage, they were at the mercy of buyers who dictated unfair prices, limiting the community’s economic potential. The newly installed infrastructure, which includes a US$52,000 cold storage unit, a solar-powered energy system, and a borehole, seeks to change this paradigm by preserving fish quality and enabling fishers to hold their stock until market prices improve.
The initiative is part of Phase 2 of the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund and is supported by an array of partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Mercy Corps through the Resilience Knowledge Hub, and local consortiums DanChurchAid and Ushingi Consortium. The technical support from FAO focuses on sustainable natural resource management and agricultural practices to ensure ecological balance alongside economic growth.
UNDP’s Resident Representative, Dr Ayodele Odusola, emphasised the project’s goal: “Our objective is to make this fishing camp a sustainable business. We do not want them to be ripped off by middlemen who buy their fish at very ridiculous prices.” He highlighted the installation of a 40 cubic metre cold storage container designed to extend the shelf life of fish, thereby allowing fishers to negotiate better prices and target a minimum of 15 tonnes of fish per month at normal market rates of between US$3.50 and US$4 per kilogramme.
FFA Explainer Box: Cold Chain Facility – a temperature-controlled supply chain system that preserves perishable goods like fish by maintaining low temperatures during storage and transport, thus preventing spoilage and extending product life.
Sustainability is central to this project, with private sector participation identified as a key strategy. A private company will manage the cold storage as a business venture, ensuring professional operations and maintenance. Simultaneously, fishers will receive financial literacy and management training to boost their capacity not only to manage fish storage but also to improve their economic decision-making.
The impact on the local community at Kings Camp is anticipated to be profound. The camp comprises 26 fishing permit holders, each providing employment to at least two people, amounting to over 50 direct jobs. The cold chain facility is expected to stabilise incomes and stimulate wider economic activity in the Mid-Zambezi region.
Local fishermen have already reported transformative effects. Mereki Siankwazi from Binga pointed out, “We used to sell our fish at US$1 per kilogramme because the fish would rot quickly. Buyers knew we had no option. With this cold room, we can now wait for better prices and earn what our fish is really worth.”
Women involved in fishing and fish trading have also expressed optimism. Nyarai Siampande noted, “Sometimes buyers dictated prices because they knew we were desperate. This project gives us bargaining power and dignity.” This underscores the alignment with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which emphasises inclusive economic development by empowering women, youth, and marginalised groups.
From the community perspective, Tichaona Musaka of Chief Mola remarked, “The biggest challenge was racing against time before the fish spoiled. Now we can store it properly and even target bigger markets.”
This project highlights a successful blend of innovation, sustainability, and community empowerment within Zimbabwe’s aquaculture sector. It not only enhances the livelihood of fishers but also positions the Mid-Zambezi region as a hub for sustainable commercial fishing, with spill-over benefits for food security and economic resilience.
By tackling a long-standing bottleneck in storage and market access, this intervention has the potential to serve as a replicable model across Zimbabwe and the broader Southern African region, contributing directly to key goals in NDS1 including economic growth, job creation, and enhanced value addition in agriculture.
As Zimbabwe continues pushing for agricultural transformation aligned with AU Agenda 2063 and global sustainable development goals, innovations such as the Kariba cold chain facility serve as powerful beacons of progress — blending technology, capacity-building, and community engagement to craft a vibrant, prosperous future for all.
For more information on supporting sustainable fisheries in Zimbabwe, visit the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement website at https://www.agriculture.gov.zw/.
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