Published by the government of Zimbabwe
17 July 2007
Harare — Zimbabwe is short of meat, but has tens of thousands of farmers who are quite able, and willing, to raise stock.
Emphasis has been placed on cattle, which is fine, but more attention needs to be given to goats, pigs and sheep for several reasons.
These can be reared to slaughter levels far more rapidly than cattle, allowing a farmer a quick return on his investment.
A small farm can keep reasonable numbers of such smaller stock, allowing the farmer a regular income, as he sells off a few animals every month.
And frequently it is possible to raise such small stock on waste from the farm, minimising the amount of commercial stockfeed.
Traditionally, goats are raised on many Zimbabwean farms, but largely for on-farm consumption rather than as a source of cash.
Yet goat meat is starting to appear in supermarkets and there is room for growth.
Pigs have been described as the greatest asset a smallholder can imagine, being fast breeding animals that can produce large litters and which can be fed on almost anything.
Sheep are not popular in Zimbabwe, largely because of problems experienced in the past with unsuitable imported breeds and the lack of grass.
But in some parts of Zimbabwe there has always been a feeling that suitable breeds should do well.
Namibia has vast herds and yet lacks the well-watered temperate climate that some sheep producers seem to need.
What appears to be missing to allow many communal and resettled farmers an excellent source of cash are the markets and back-up the smaller farmers often lack.
A great deal more needs to be done to upgrade goat breeds for meat, hides and even hairwool.
There are export markets available, especially in the Middle East, but we imagine that these markets have particular requirements.
There is no reason to suppose that the requirements cannot be met with modest research and extension.
As was the case with cattle, there is need to develop breeds of goats and sheep that can thrive in the different ecosystems in Zimbabwe.
Pig farming has some particular disease problems in the tropics, but these can be easily overcome with basic extension services so that farmers know how to pen and feed the animals.
Just as critically, steps need to be taken to create and maintain suitable markets, for the animals and for their products.
Just because this has not been done before does not mean we cannot start now.
The marketing infrastructure and strategies already in place for cattle and for commercially farmed pigs provide excellent examples of how we can progress.
We might also need to look at the experience of other countries which have successfully created huge livestock industries anchored by small-scale farmers.
Intensive farming on smaller farms, and this is Zimbabwe's future if rural incomes are to rise rapidly, requires a mix of livestock and crops, the actual types depending on where the farmer lives.
In the west and south it is becoming increasingly apparent that growing cash crops is not the best of investments, as harvests are likely to be poor.
Livestock are the answer in such situations, but cattle alone will not generate enough to sustain a farmer.
The huge commercial ranches that used to dominate these areas suggest that small-scale cattle production is not the path to riches.
But other countries have shown that selected small livestock, of the right breeds, backed by adequate research and extension, and with access to the right markets, can boost farmers' incomes.
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