Major relief plan for small-scale livestock farmers

02 Feb, 2025 - 00:02 0 Views
Major relief plan for small-scale livestock farmers Presidential Silage Programme

Judith Phiri, Business Reporter

THE Government has set up a major relief plan to aid small-scale livestock farmers affected by the El Nino-induced drought that left them counting their losses last year.

The country recorded over 50,000 cattle deaths due to water and food shortages triggered by the drought.

The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Climate and Rural Development availed various mitigation measures to counter the losses which were negatively affecting the national herd.

In a proactive move, the Director of the Department of Livestock Production and Development, under the Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Service (Ardas), Dr Sitokozile Sibanda, detailed an extensive Government initiative aimed at assisting small-scale livestock farmers affected by the recent El Niño-induced drought.

“The initiative focuses on enhancing drought mitigation strategies and establishing feed and fodder reserves across all provinces. Key components of the initiative include the Presidential Silage Programme, which benefits smallholder dairy farmers, and a legume pasture programme designed to improve livestock nutrition by integrating high-quality forage into feeding systems,” she said.

She said recognising the need for sustainable livestock farming, the Government was promoting value-addition techniques for crop residues, enabling farmers to maximise feed resources and reduce waste.

Dr Sibanda said to strengthen resilience, initiatives like the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme and Poultry Programme aim to distribute indigenous chickens to vulnerable communities, reaching three million households.

“These initiatives do not only provide immediate source of food and income but also contribute to long-term economic stability in rural communities. The ongoing efforts also include the drilling of boreholes for livestock water supply and the construction of essential handling and holding facilities for livestock, while farmers are advised to prioritise deworming their animals this season,” she added.

She said much progress has been done in the establishment of village business units (VBUs) as well as livestock drought mitigation centres in drought prone areas.

Dr Sibanda said the ward drought mitigation centres offer comprehensive services covering livestock health and nutrition, ensuring water and supplementary feed are available for at-risk animals and addressing health concerns.

The centres will also act as auction centres for livestock.

Of the targeted 1 620 ward drought mitigation centres, 20 have been established, with 9 665 metric tonnes of silage distributed to 27 village and saved 107 387 cattle.

As part of mitigation measures under the major relief plan, 3 544 village boreholes have been drilled, 449 business units have been completed and 458 business units in are progress out of the targeted 35 000 village business units.
9 600 school business units, 4 800 youth business units and 46 vocational training centre business units are also in the process of being completed.

The agriculture gross domestic product (GDP) grew from US$5,6 billion in 2020 to US$9,9 billion (76,8 percent growth) in 2022, surpassing the US$8,2 billion target of 2025.

Agricultural GDP growth is said to have been strong, averaging 8,5 percent annually, with the Government now aiming for the sector to become a US$13,75 billion industry this 2025.

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