BY LORRAINE NDEBELE THE Goat Breeders Association has embarked on a project to assist farmers with elite animal genetic resources, technical assistance and marketing of goats.
Government has indicated that the marketing skills and knowledge are crucial as this will protect farmers from falling, peaking on the Goat Indaba-Goat Breeders Association Zimbabwe 2022 prey to middlemen who take advantage of their lack of knowledge of markets.
Speaking at the Goat Indaba- Goat Breeders Association Zimbabwe 2022 last week, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development deputy minister Vangelis Peter Haritatos pointed out that the initiative by the Goat Breeders Association resonates well with the current thrust of government that seeks to transform agriculture in the country.
“Through this plan, focus is now to chart a new trajectory for livestock production with priority on animal nutrition, genetic improvement, animal health and market development amongst others”, Haritatos said.
“The ministry department of livestock research, veterinary services and livestock production will continue to support farmers through availing elite breeding stock, animal health services and technical backstopping.”
He said the extension capacitation with modern goat farming methods will also be employed for increased production and productivity on farms.
Haritatos said the government is cognizant of the challenges that small and medium scale goat producers have been facing mostly by farmers in low lying districts of natural regions four and five of the country prone to the effects of climate change such as severe droughts and floods.
He said it is imperative that the great potential within the sub sector to contribute towards economic growth, resilient and sustainable agriculture is recognised.
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“I urge you farmers to therefore work as groups in addressing goat production and market related constraint, as well as take advantage of the established Goat Improvement Centres (GICs) and Goat Holding Centres (GHCs) countrywide under the Zimbabwe Agriculture Growth Programme (ZAGP), to enhance productivity and offtake,” Haritatos said.
These initiatives, he said, will facilitate increased productivity while also addressing marketing of goats and their products.
In October 2020, the cabinet approved the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy which is a roadmap to reinvigorate agriculture in Zimbabwe and is supported by a number of anchor plans which include the Livestock Growth Plan.
This strategy also sets out clear strategies aimed at ensuring the growth of livestock production in the country including goats.
The overall objective is to increase revenue generation from the livestock sector to US$1,9 billion per annum.
Centres which are part of the program are targeting intensification of dipping to prevent and control entry and outbreaks of animal diseases, creation of livestock business centres for small stocks as well as the promotion of on-farm feed formulation.
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