The Sunday News
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme (ZAGP) which ushered in the revitalisation of the dairy sector in the country, has resulted in a steady growth in the country’s milk production, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Agriculture, Lands, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Retired Chief Air Marshal Perrance Shiri in a speech read on his behalf by Midlands Provincial Crop and Livestock officer, Mrs Medline Magwenzi, during the in-calf heifer distribution handover ceremony at Unitas Farm, in Kwekwe on Friday, said despite the slight increase, the milk production remains far short of the demand. He praised efforts by stakeholders in the diary sector that have seen a steady growth in milk production.
“Government recognises and appreciates the initiatives and efforts by stakeholders in the dairy sector that have seen a steady growth in milk production from a low of 36 million litres before we launched the programme to 80 million litres in 2019 and is targeting further growth.
However, the current production is still far short of the national demand of approximately 130 million litres per annum,” said Minister Shiri.
He said despite an estimated 14 percent growth per annum in the milk production, local milk supply is still not expected to match demand until 2030 due to very low current consumption levels which are increasing to match regional consumption.
Zimbabwe has a total of 39 000 dairy cows. Of these, 18 000 cows are milking and producing 6,2 million litres of milk per month against a target of over 80 million litres.
Minister Shiri praised the increased number and contribution played by small to medium-scale dairy farmers to milk production which has significantly increased against challenges in the milk production. Under ZAGP which was launched in 2016, the dairy project received a total of Euro 7 million of which 90 percent was funded by the European Union and the balance from We Effect Co-Financing. The move aims to address the root causes of under-performances in the Dairy Value Chain (DVC) in Zimbabwe by strengthening the linkages between production, processing and financing.
The action, Minister Shiri said, is contributing to the realisation of ZAGP expected outcomes especially increased production and productivity of the livestock sector and increased public and private investment in targeted livestock value chains.
Speaking at the same occasion, We Effect project co-ordinator Mr Edson Chifamba said there was a need to mobilise more farmers in the dairy sector to improve quantity and quality. He identified feed, farmer numbers and infrastructure as the major undoing in the dairy industry.
“We have gone on a drive together with Zidit and Zimbabwe Famers Union on a farmer mobilisation programme whereby we are targeting 4 500 farmers up from 350 farmers. Already in one year we have recruited about 2 000 new farmers and hoping by the end of year we will have reached our target,” he said.
