What began as an ambitious diversification effort has rapidly evolved into a thriving aquaculture success story for Umbane Limited, a sugar cane producer based in Malkerns.
Through a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM), the company has transformed its irrigation dam into a productive fish farming hub, unlocking new revenue streams while boosting sustainability.
The journey began in 2024 when Umbane introduced fish into its irrigation dam. However, early efforts proved challenging. Fish were initially stocked directly into the large dam, making harvesting inefficient and difficult. “Because of the dam’s size, harvesting proved to be extremely difficult,” explained Umbane Secretary Sikelela Qwabe.
Recognising these limitations, Umbane adopted cage farming in October 2025. This method confines fish within netted enclosures, allowing for better monitoring, feeding and harvesting. The shift quickly paid off. Within five months, the system produced approximately 130 kilogrammes (km) of fish, with harvesting still ongoing demonstrating strong productivity gains.
TTM Project Manager Samuel Liu revealed that the operation currently runs six cages, with plans to harvest at least one cage per month. The dam’s depth, exceeding three metres, allows for increased stocking capacity and future expansion. He also noted that this is the second cage culture initiative supported by the TTM, alongside another successful project at Lubovane Dam. With cage and pond systems now producing about 400km of fish monthly.
According to the ministry’s Acting Senior Agricultural Officer, Boy Mavuso, the introduction of cage farming marks a significant step towards large-scale commercial aquaculture in Eswatini. With 14 cages already installed nationally and fish selling at E70 per km, the market response has been highly encouraging. Combined with ongoing pond-based fish farming, these efforts are expected to strengthen food security and create economic opportunities.
Technical support from TTM has been central to the project’s success. The team provided expertise in cage design, stocking density, feeding practices and water quality management. In addition, Umbane staff received hands-on training in fish husbandry, disease control and sustainable aquaculture operations ensuring long-term independence and efficiency.
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