The Ntchisi District Council, through its Fisheries Office, has underscored the need for more people, especially youths, to participate in fish farming to improve their economic livelihoods and nutritional status.

Speaking to Zodiak, the district's Fisheries Officer, Davie Itimu, said venturing into fish farming can help young people become economically independent because it is highly beneficial.

"We need more youths to take part in fish farming for the reasons stated above, especially now that organisations such as CDF Canada have stepped in to support the initiative. In the past, the council struggled to secure resources for such programs," he said.

He made the remarks on Tuesday after witnessing the success of Mkonkha Youth Club in the area of Traditional Authority Msauka in the district.

Supported by The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF Canada) through the Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity in Malawi (IAAM) Project, the club has made a profit of K15 million from the sale of 1,000 kilograms of harvested fish.

Despite making the significant profit, Mkonkha Youth Club Chairperson Harold David Banda has urged authorities to help find better fish markets.

"It is true that we have made this profit, but there is a need for the government to explore better markets so that we can earn more," he said.

CDF Canada Agronomy Specialist Judith Sukani hailed the beneficiaries' resilience in diversifying their income through the skills and knowledge gained from the project's interventions.

"As CDF Canada, we are extremely happy with the success registered through this project because when we identified the beneficiaries, we did not expect them to reach this far," she said.

Meanwhile, Kaonemo Cooperative Chairperson Jacob Moris, from the area of Senior Chief Nthondo in the district, said they expect to realise substantial profits from fish farming after stocking about 5,000 fingerlings in Kaonemo Dam.

Apart from reaching out to 1,528 fish farmers, CDF Canada is also promoting livestock farming, crop production, and environmental conservation in the districts of Ntchisi, Dowa, Zomba, Mzimba, Rumphi, Chitipa, Thyolo, and Nkhotakota.

(Writen By Henderson Charles Msusa)