By Tendai Chisiri
Chikurubi Prison Farm has taken a significant step towards rehabilitation and self-sufficiency with the launch of a fishery project on Thursday.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development (MLAFWRD) donated 26,000 fingerlings to the prison farm under the Presidential Fisheries Scheme.
According to Milton Makumbe, Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Production Department (FARD), the project aims to empower inmates with valuable skills and experiences. “We are trying to capacitate all individuals through the Presidential Fisheries Scheme, including A1 and A2 farmers and organizations,” Makumbe said.
Chief Superintendent Charles Nyamasoka, Officer-in-Charge at Chikurubi Prison Farm, emphasized the importance of rehabilitation programs for inmates. “We have such programs to help inmates live a meaningful life after leaving prison. We currently have six fish ponds, and with the help of the Ministry, we plan to extend it to 20 or 30 ponds.”
The inmates will learn to rear the fish, which they will also consume, and the community will have the opportunity to purchase. This initiative will not only provide a source of income but also reduce the government’s expenditure on food.
Correction Officer Robert Lewane, ZPCS fish specialist, has been training inmates in fish farming since 2022. “We started with three fish ponds in Bindura, and the inmates have learned well. The project is still in its infancy, but we’re optimistic about its potential.”
Inmates Regis Moyo and Boreman Chipfumbu praised the project, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to acquire new skills. “This will help me not to be idle when I get out of prison,” Chipfumbu said.
The donated fingerlings are Nile bream, a popular freshwater fish farmed in Africa. They can be harvested as early as seven months old, weighing around 400 grams.
This initiative is a positive step towards rehabilitation and empowerment of inmates at Chikurubi Prison Farm.
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