BY SILAS NKALA PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to distribute 2,25 million four-week-old chicks to 225 000 households in Matabeleland North, South, the Midlands and Masvingo provinces in the next three years.
The chicks will be distributed through the Presidential Rural Poultry scheme.
“Presidential Rural Poultry pass on scheme is targeting to distribute 2 250 000 four-week-old rural chicks to 225 000 households in Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Masvingo provinces; and 2 500 000 chicks and associated inputs to the remaining provinces in year two until all households in the eight rural provinces are covered,” says the latest Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) report on the 2022 Rural Livelihoods Assessment (RLA).
The chicks programme is in fulfilment of Commitment six of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy (FNSP), Demand-Led Sanitation and Hygiene Programme and Enhanced Resilience of Vulnerable Households in Zimbabwe, among many other targeted areas.
On agriculture production, the report revealed that the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development ministry was implementing various livestock support and disease control programmes to attend to the 63% and 57% of households that did not own cattle and goats respectively.
“Presidential goat pass scheme is targeting to distribute 600 000 kids and 40 000 bucks each year for three years to benefit a total of 1 800 000 rural households,” the report added.
ZimVac revealed that the government through the Lands ministry is also working on controlling livestock diseases in cattle and goats.
The report indicated that a national dip tank rehabilitation programme, an intensive dipping programme, a tick grease blitz programme, free annual vaccinations for foot and mouth disease, anthrax and rabies and free quarterly vaccinations for Newcastle disease are currently underway.
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Government said it was intensifying disease surveillance programmes and fencing of Gonarezhou Game Park to control livestock-wildlife mixing to prevent transmission of such diseases as foot and mouth, brucellosis, swine fever and others.
“To address 71% of the households using ordinary rooms to store grain, the ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development is spearheading efforts towards the reduction of post-harvest losses, use of storage technologies such as metal silos, hematic bags, motorised threshing equipment, and driers, construction and use of improved granaries and metal silos under the Zunde RaMambo,” the report added.
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