The Sunday News
Nkosilathi Sibanda, Farming Correspondent
LEADING goat livestock farming concern, Michview Enterprises, has availed a state-of-the-art feed processing plant to assist farmers in animal husbandry business to practice sustainable nature conservation so as to increase forage.
Goat farming has of late become popular in farmlands across the country, as more farmers realise benefits in rearing quality breeds.
The rise in the number of goat breeders has also meant an increase in the demand for feed. This has put a strain on the pastures.
Goats, in Zimbabwe according to a report by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) make up the second largest population of domesticated ruminant animals in the country with the national herd estimated to be more than 3,3 million.
At least 95 percent of the national goat herd is owned by smallholder farmers who rarely breed the goats for commercial purposes. Matabeleland South is mainly home to the slightly bigger breed.
Agronomists nationwide have lamented that pastures could run out if not managed well.
Owing to this awareness, last week on Tuesday, farmers, agronomists and bankers assembled at Michview Enterprises farm that is inside Matopo Research Station to plant 1 000 trees as part of efforts to support the Government’s National Tree Planting Day activities.
In order to turn farm holdings into fully fledged agro-processors, Michview Enterprises unveiled the feed mixing machine to strengthen the value chain.
The National Tree Planting Day falls on the first weekend of December.
Two types of trees, the Mulberry and Acacia were put to the ground. Both trees, according to goat farming experts, contain essential nutrients for ruminants such as goats.
It has been noted by Michview Enterprises through its research and farmer engagement countrywide that there is an acute shortage of adequate and good quality feeds for goats.
This is said to have affected growth rates and milk yields.
Buying feed supplements is difficult for most smallholder farmers who make up the bulk of goat breeders in the country.
Planting trees of nutritional value is the only way that farmers are advised to take as an option to increase productivity.
Michview Enterprises director Mr Lindani Ncube said farming and nature conservation are inseparable.
“The connection is simple. Trees provide food for our livestock and as such we are mandated as farmers to plant trees,” said Mr Ncube.
“We planted 1 000 trees at our farm at Matopo Research Station. This is a show of our continued support to the Government and farmers so that the country attains food sufficiency.”
Mr Ncube said in planting trees, Michview and its partners were aiming at spreading information on how best goat feed can be derived from sources closer to farmers.
“We decided to use this National Tree Planting week to educate goat breeders in particular on the importance of conserving and nurturing forests that have trees good for goat feed. But here we were not only planting any tree. We are on those trees that are nutritious to the goats like the mulberry and the acacia.”
He said it was incumbent for every goat breeder to plant such trees at their farms as that would guide the farmer to have a well-planned forage to ensure a cost-effective way of feeding livestock.
“What is critical is that a farmer harvests the leaves in due time. Of course the goats will feed off the veld but we want supplement in the most cost effective and environmentally friendly way,” he said.
The goat breeder said in unveiling the feed processor, they aim to use it to fully commercialise the preparation and packaging of goat feed.
“This is more like a one-stop shop. Everything harvested for feed is then processed at the farm, without having to travel elsewhere. It is a cost saving mechanism,” he said.
Michview co-director Mrs Loandy Ncube said it was high time smallholder farmers took up commercial goat farming as it was lucrative.
She said issues to do with feed processing and packaging were crucial in the goat farming business.
“There is money in goat farming. It is not all about keeping goats but doing it in a business-oriented manner.”
Mrs Ncube underscored the need for women in farming to take up such projects.
Michview Enterprises is credited for having stepped up its goat breeding commercialisation drive in a bid to ensure communal farmers realise potential value from their small stock.
The goat commercialisation programme, run by the company started in 2017 under the Livestock Food Support Programme together with two non-governmental organisations namely Palladium and Extra Projects targeting communal farmers. It is expected that the tree planting and feed management concept will be rolled out to Gokwe, Beitbridge, Gwanda and other areas where goat breeding is thriving.
