UNDB-GEFSGP

UNDP-GEFSGP

Project Objectives

  • To train and equip 50 women in Arda Transau with the capacity to meaningfully engage in fish farming by December 2022.
  • To develop, support, and sustain fish farms for women in ARDA Transau.
  • To rehabilitate degraded areas through gully reclamation, tree planting, and protection of wetlands by August 2022.
  • To forge and facilitate sustainable Market linkages for rural women fish farming.

Staff And Stakeholder Inception Meeting

Our twenty stakeholders were given an introduction to the organization and the project scope in general and how it is supposed to run and empower women in the Arda Transau community. Emphasis was made on how families selected must fit a certain demographic, vulnerability level, and the existence of sustainable water sources. The project goals, activities, and expected outcomes were discussed. The funding partners were revealed and it was pointed out that the project will be in two stages.

The goal of the meeting was attained, recommendations and suggestions were noted down. Every stakeholder present was added to a database so as to get updates on how the project progresses.

Selection Of Beneficiaries

YDIT members visited the households of potential beneficiaries to verify water sources and project feasibility. YDIT members successfully identified 50 potential beneficiaries including 10 extra for replacements if any changes occur within the first 50 selected. Beneficiaries information which includes contact details, water sources, and home addressess was collected by YDIT members for database compilation and also to make follow-ups where necessary. Other women failed to qualify during the selection process due to inadequate water or no water source . The selection process was meticulously done so that the project would not succumb to failure in the long run. The visits covered a wide range of places in Arda Transau which included Anjini, Marange resources,Jinani 6 and villages which included Maone, Kamuzhanje, Matereke, and Mavhima. Beneficiaries who live in villages have the added advantage of access to a lot of water since they use the Odzani river to pump water for their crops.

Project Verification By GEF-SGP Members

Tsitsi Wutawunashe from Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program(GEFSGP) presented on the GEFSGP formation, its initiative to conserve the environment and the budget for the first and second tranches was explained in detail including how beneficiaries were going to be split into 2 groups each consisting of 25 members. An advisory Committee board comprising 6 members was selected among the beneficiaries to steer the project to fruition by monitoring and reporting to YDIT or technical support team. YDIT members and GEF-SGP members visited some of the potential beneficiaries’ households to verify the feasibility of the project site.

Training Vulnerable Women ARDA Transau In Fish Farming

YDIT and its stakeholders went to Arda Transau for a 2 day training of beneficiaries into semi-intensive fish farming and conservation of natural woodlands and wetlands. The training was based on impacting vast knowledge on how to construct a pond, how to feed the fish, how to maintain, develop fish ponds, gulley reclamation and rehabilitation of wetlands. Mr Kunzekutema from Aqua city clearly explained all the aspects from pond construction up until when the fish is fully grown. He emphasised on the feeding pattern including supplementary feed of chicken manure which is best required for fish because they have rich nutrients which comes from chicken manufactured feed. Miss Ruvimbo from EMA taught beneficiaries on how to conserve the environment and how the project is going to include tree planting,gully reclamations and protection of wetlands in Arda Transau. Arda Transau comprises of big gullies formed by soil erosion, unprotected wetlands, and rampant deforestation which is caused by the fact that the inhabitants do not have electricity therefore they cut down trees for firewood. YDIT will liaise with EMA in gulley reclamation, protection of wetlands and afforestration. Mr B Chikoshana from Obelisk also taught beneficiaries how to use the mobile app Hove Dzedu created by Obelisk and YDIT which will comprise of tutorials on how to feed the fish, signs and symptoms of an ailing fish as well as provide progress tracking and helpdesk function.

Construction and Service Of Fish Ponds

All 50 Beneficiaries were properly trained how to peg, measure and construct a 10x10x1, 5m fish pond which occupy 1500 fingerlings by Aqua City experts. The pond construction took place at 1 of the beneficiaries household who is a widow living with her grandson. All beneficiaries happily participated in the construction demonstration of the pond so that it wont get complicated when they construct their own. Beneficiaries were encouraged to plant lawn on the edges of the dam walls to prevent soil erosion and also to site vegetable gardens near the fish ponds, so as to water plants from fish pond water outlets when changing the water.

Monitoring, Evaluation And Learning

All the 50 beneficiaries properly constructed their ponds, planted lawn around the pond,fenced the pond and covered the pond with nets to protect fish from predators. Ponds were fully filled with water from either borehole, well or river and 2 failed due to insufficient tap water which was closed by the council. 48 beneficiaries were given tilapia fingerlings to put in their ponds including breeders, and they were well taught on how to feed and put fish into the pond. YDIT and its stakeholders continued monitoring visits to keep a closer eye on the feeding patterns and pond maintenance. During these visits, YDIT also collected M&E data from beneficiaries which included household information, food consumption score, progress of the project, and predicaments they have encountered so far. Beneficiaries were encouraged to make use of the mobile app Hove Dzedu developed by Oblesik in liaise with YDIT to assist them whenever they have encountered a problem or in need of professional assistance. The mobile app uses less data and works hand in hand with YDIT WhatsApp account, so that there is timely response when needed.

Fish distribution

All 50 women were given 1500 Niloticus Tilapia fingerlings each to put in their ponds and 9 were selected to have breeders so that they would become the local suppliers of tilapia fingerlings in the whole area of Arda Transau and all over Zimbabwe. Niloticus Tilapia fish was selected and chosen because it is known for its rapid growth rate, adaptability to various environmental conditions, and high nutritional value, making it an ideal species for aquaculture. These women were given full training on how to manage breeders and how to effectively transfer fingerlings from the plastics they were transported into the pond. The provision of 1500 tilapia fish to each woman not only serves as an initial investment but also as a sustainable source of income and nutrition which promotes economic independence and gender equality within the community. They were also given fish feed and nets to protect their ponds from predators

Nursery Training and Tree distribution

Since the project is an Environmental Conservation and Economic Resilience program all 50 beneficiaries were taught how to start small nurseries, grafting, budding techniques, hole dimensions, planting density, and rootstocks. 500 Mango trees, 50 Lemon trees, 100 Kenyan Croton trees, 50 Jacaranda trees, and 50 Peaches trees were distributed to all 50 beneficiaries with each getting a total number of 10 trees which are 5 mango,2 Kenyan croton,1 lemon,1 peach and 1 jacaranda to plant at their homes

Fish Harvesting

The first tranche’s 25 beneficiaries had a fruitful harvest after a long-awaited 7 months of proper feeding and keeping up with the standards needed in fish keeping so that they may not succumb to death. YDIT was responsible for searching for markets on behalf of other beneficiaries who faced difficulties in searching for markets. When a potential buyer was found, the buyers came to Arda Transau and bought straight from beneficiaries' ponds. A few beneficiaries' harvest results were affected by several factors, including predator attacks and failure to maintain the pond. Most of the beneficiaries were delighted with their results and they had even constructed second ponds so that after harvest they would use the money to buy another dam linear, feed, and more fingerlings for 2 ponds.

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