Production commerciale de tilapia du Nil sur le Lac Kariba, Zimbabwe.

Abstract Lake Harvest Aquaculture (Pvt) Ltd developed freshwater tilapia production in 1996 on a location initially used by a freshwater shrimp farm set up by a Zimbabwean food company, La Cairn Food Ltd. The farm was established in 1997 and ten years later it produces 3000 tonnes of tilapia which, once harvested and processed, are exported to European and regional markets. The initial projections in terms of production and net farm income were made until 2001, the start of the economic recession. The decline in agricultural production due to insufficient resources and drought resulted in a lack of raw materials for food manufacturing companies. The continued downward trend in feed production affected the company so much that it could no longer support the growing stock of fish. Power and economic issues resulted in the decision by management to stop expanding the business in 2002. The cost of setting up Lake Harvest business is US$10,000,000. The company benefited from external financing from the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) and Comafin, a private Pan-African company with equity capital, before the change in the mode of participation in the capital which took place in 2002. The main costs concerned installation and mooring of cages; and construction of a fish processing plant. Six sites were installed, each costing around US$350,000, including boats. The costs of the processing plant are estimated at around US$4,000,000. This case study aims to provide a technical itinerary and overview of Lake Harvest Aquaculture as a caged tilapia company in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe; and provide a means of assessment and study for those interested in the development of cage aquaculture in Africa south of the Sahara. All major activities performed at Lake Harvest are described in the same sequence as on the farm: from production, management, to sale of the final product.