The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Services (ZAKIS) has set up two national Agricultural Centres of Excellence (ACEs) and four District Agricultural Centres of Excellence (DACEs), in a bid to improve livelihoods as well as strengthen the food and nutrition security of the country.
ZAKIS is part of a larger EU-funded Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme (ZAGP) that was launched in Zimbabwe in June 2019. The €40 million initiative seeks to boost the beef, dairy, pig, goat and poultry production, complemented by ZAKIS which is mandated to work with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to coordinate market-oriented education and extension services across the five value chains.
Responding to questions from Sunday News, ZAKIS head of project, Mr Waddilove Sansole said the two ACEs and four DACEs are meant to enable farmers and value chain actors to improve their lives and contribute to agricultural growth.
“As part of steps to enable farmers and value chain actors to improve their lives and contribute to agricultural growth and rural green-economic development, two national Agricultural Centres of Excellence (ACEs) have been established at Chibero Agricultural College and at the Matopos Research Institute.
“In addition, four District Agricultural Centres of Excellence (DACEs) have been set-up in Matobo, Insiza, Mhondoro-Ngezi and Chegutu,” said Mr Sansole.
He added that the agricultural centres of excellence are designed to demonstrate best practice in crop and livestock production. By so doing, farmers can learn and adopt transformative agricultural methods that enhance production, promote self-sustenance and ensure sustainability.
Mr Sansole also noted that the ACEs and DACEs are meant to demonstrate the functional connectivity between agricultural research, education, and extension within the agricultural sector.
He added: “A key element of the project is collaboration with the private sector. This aspect is pivotal in the implementation of the commercial ventures at each site.”
Mr Sansole highlighted that the various ACES and DACEs have identified the numerous commercial ventures for implementation in 2021. The Matopos ACE will look into small grain, forage, semen and horticulture production. Matobo DACE will venture into hatchery services, goat, and forage production.
With the Insiza DACE looking into dairy, poultry, and goat production. The other ACE in Chibero will focus on broiler, pig, indigenous poultry, hiring out equipment, horticulture and pen fattening. With the Chegutu DACE looking into apiculture, aquaculture and horticulture. While, Mhondoro-Ngezi DACE will focus on horticulture, fish farming, apiculture and artificial insemination.
He added: “Capacity building programmes will be implemented throughout 2021 to provide support and bridge gaps that could hinder successful implementation. The actual ventures will be implemented by the teams on the ground.”
Mr Sansole said that ZAKIS has also assisted with enabling infrastructure for the commercial ventures.
“We have provided support by investing in drilling of boreholes, solar installations and setting-up irrigation infrastructure. Through partnerships with the private sector, they have assisted in availing capital for projects,” he said.
He added that to build capacity for the sustainability of ACEs and DACEs, Oversight Committees or Advisory Boards are being set up at all the sites, to strengthen governance, enhance accountability and provide the strategic direction required to ensure the long-term success.
Mr Sansole also stated that the main focus of 2021 is putting strategic plans into action and ensuring that the ACEs and DACEs operate optimally in a manner that supports governments Vision 2030, the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy; the Agriculture Livestock Growth Plan and the Horticulture Growth Plan.
ZAKIS had a budget of €1.3 million in 2020 alone, while its overall budget covering the period from its launch in June 2018 to its end November 2022 is €6.6 million.
ZAKIS development partners comprise Welthungerhilfe (WHH), Community Technology Development Organisation (CTDO), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Sustainable Agriculture Technology (SAT).
