News / National
Govt to boost support for livestock farmers
13 Sep 2013 at 19:28hrs | Views
Government says it is going to boost support for small holder livestock farmers as they are critical to the agriculture sector.
Small holder farmers who own 4.9 million of the 5.3 million livestock herd in the country have been identified as key to the growth of the sector.
Government is already in the process of increasing support to small holder livestock farmers.
Speaking during a meeting with World Bank livestock specialists in the capital, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, Dr Joseph Made said livestock management is set to improve as government has realised that it is a high value sector.
"In our current policy, livestock is recognized but not to the magnitude of crops so we are in the process of changing that. So it means that we have to invest and even the tone in the structuring of the ministry has incorporated it," said Dr Made.
World Bank senior livestock specialist, Dr Leonard Reynolds said the institution is conducting a pre-investment framework for small holder livestock farming in Zimbabwe to asses the sector and find ways of supporting it.
"We don't have funds ourselves, but we are identifying areas where improvement can be made," Dr Reynolds said.
The World Bank team will also assess livestock production systems, technical and extension services for farmers and the policy environment.
Government's commitment to the revival of the livestock sector has been cemented by the recent appointment of a deputy minister for livestock in the agriculture ministry.
Small holder farmers who own 4.9 million of the 5.3 million livestock herd in the country have been identified as key to the growth of the sector.
Government is already in the process of increasing support to small holder livestock farmers.
Speaking during a meeting with World Bank livestock specialists in the capital, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, Dr Joseph Made said livestock management is set to improve as government has realised that it is a high value sector.
"In our current policy, livestock is recognized but not to the magnitude of crops so we are in the process of changing that. So it means that we have to invest and even the tone in the structuring of the ministry has incorporated it," said Dr Made.
World Bank senior livestock specialist, Dr Leonard Reynolds said the institution is conducting a pre-investment framework for small holder livestock farming in Zimbabwe to asses the sector and find ways of supporting it.
"We don't have funds ourselves, but we are identifying areas where improvement can be made," Dr Reynolds said.
The World Bank team will also assess livestock production systems, technical and extension services for farmers and the policy environment.
Government's commitment to the revival of the livestock sector has been cemented by the recent appointment of a deputy minister for livestock in the agriculture ministry.
Source - zbc
