Cabinet approves command livestock model

CABINET has approved the Command Livestock production model, which is expected to be rolled out across the country soon, Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa said yesterday.

In his presentation entitled “Command Agriculture in Zimbabwe: Myths, Lessons and Future” during a public lecture at the Midlands State University (MSU) in Gweru, the Acting President said the Command Livestock model was tabled before Cabinet and approved on Monday.

“Cabinet on Monday authorised that we proceed with Command Livestock programme, targeting beef, dairy and poultry and the production of associated equipment,” he said.

The Acting President said the timing of the programme was such that the livestock sector will benefit from the high maize production this year.

He said the model draws inspiration from the successful Command Agriculture scheme, which has so far been implemented in the cropping sector.

“This will trigger economic activity as agro-processing companies, transporters, marketers and retail and related services will be distributing stock feeds to farmers, creating additional employment,” he said.

Most farmers in the southern parts of the country are into livestock farming because of the marginal rains normally received.

Efforts are already underway to capacitate the Cold Storage Company (CSC) to spearhead the programme given its capacity as a giant meat processing firm in the country.

Increasing food production both grain and livestock is at the heart of the Zim-Asset programme. Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, Dr Joseph Made recently announced a $150 million livestock programme to cover restocking, equipment, pasture development and resuscitation of CSC.

He said some 600 000 livestock farmers in Matabeleland and Masvingo provinces were already stacking hay and paddocking as part of the initiative dubbed Command Livestock.

The Government wants to catapult Zimbabwe’s beef industry back to annual exports of 14 000 tonnes, which were last achieved in 1999. — @pchitumba1