Women’s trust trains Mat’and goat farmers
AN agriculture organisation, Upfumi Kumadzimai/ Inotho Kubomama has embarked on a drive to educate women in animal husbandry through a series of courses.
The Bulawayo based organisation has started poultry and goat training sessions targeted at upcoming farmers. Through the goat rearing programme, 10 students who were part of the first class were equipped with skills on the various types of goats, how to look after the goats particularly in how to feed and house them.
The class undertook lessons on various types of goat housing advantages and disadvantages, cross breeding of local goats and indigenous Boer goat and red Kalahari. In an interview with Sunday Farming, Upfumi Kumadzimai/Inotho Kubomama Trust chairperson Mrs Nonceba MwedziAgwaniru said the students received profitable goat farming and financial savings training.
“This is the first graduation ceremony of this kind where 10 people will be graduating. Among the 10, we have one special graduate with a disability who none the less made it which must be an inspiration to people with disabilities. The students learnt a lot on goat production with the zeal of becoming a livestock hub and also play a part in reviving the economy through agriculture,” said Mrs Mwedzi- Agwaniru who is also Youths in Agriculture Apex Council Board chairperson.
One of the graduates, Mrs Juliet Chinkango said, “The training has equipped me with knowledge on how to make my farming profitable. As a farmer on the waiting list for commercial farms, I’m looking forward to implement my farming skills because the main aim of my training is to go on a large scale as a farmer.
“Through this training the agriculture sector in the country is poised to be revived in the sense that goat meat is not considered much as cow meat. Therefore as women we have taken this initiative to produce goat meat on a large scale to put our country on the map as one of the countries that produces the best goat meat.”
Another beneficiary, Mr Courage Chipatiso said the training has enabled him to view livestock as a livelihood that could change lives in communities.
“The course has helped me in an invaluable way as I was on zero concerning livestock rearing in general, and goats in particular. I have also developed a soft spot towards the animal, mixed with compassion after reading about the loads of diseases they are prone to,” he said.-@mthabisi_ mthire.