Mnangagwa launches rural poultry scheme

THE Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme which is expected to provide 30 million chicks to at least three million people across the country's rural areas was launched in Masvingo on Thursday in line with the Government's efforts of improving rural livelihoods.

The project also comes with vaccination of chickens in the rural areas by the Department of Veterinary Services to prevent chicken diseases. Speaking during the launch of the scheme in Musakanda Village, Chief Charumbira in Masvingo district, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr Anxious Masuka who was representing President Mnangagwa said the scheme was mostly targeting the vulnerable groups, women and child headed families.

The President said livestock was a pivotal sub-sector within the agricultural industry and a key income-generating enterprise for the farmers and implored the ministry to effectively implement the Livestock Growth Plan for the nation to achieve its developmental goals.

"Let me hasten to mention that this event is a significant milestone and key indicator for our resolve to improve the welfare and livelihoods of Zimbabwean citizens, especially those in the rural areas, through sustainable livestock production, leaving no one and no place behind. It is estimated that Zimbabwe has over 50 million indigenous chickens. This Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme intends to provide 30 million rural chicks to 3 million households throughout the country. Priority in the distribution of the poultry should include vulnerable groups, women and youth headed families."

The country, it was noted, has an estimated 50 million rural chickens and under the Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme, an estimated 430 million chickens are expected to be produced annually at full production in five years with an estimated value of US$2,7 billion.

"The Presidential Poultry Scheme will cover all the 10 provinces. The model envisages both centralised and decentralised procurement of chickens. The decentralised procurement of chickens will spur rural entrepreneurship and is in line with our rural development agenda.

"This project will utilise rural aggregation centres used by the Presidential Rural Development Programme which will be used as aggregation commerce centres for both poultry and horticulture.

"By-products such as poultry manure will be used in nutrition gardens and in aquaculture under the Presidential Rural Development Programme," he said.

He said recipients to the scheme have been trained in poultry business and will also receive periodic updates through Information Communication Technology (ICT). The chicks under the scheme have been vaccinated to avoid contamination of resident indigenous breeds with the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) set to vaccinate all village chickens against new castle.

In Masvingo's, Musakanda area at least 15 944 chickens from three wards have already been vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the programme also saw the upgrading of the Sipambi Youth Centre, introduction of value chain projects such as crop production using drip irrigation, fish production, honey production rabbit production and a village garden which will benefit 60 households.

"A piped water scheme for Sipambi Business Centre that broke down more than 20 years ago has been resuscitated and 100 households in Musakanda Village have been connected to piped water along 2,5km piped water line. All these developments are testimony to my Government's commitment to accelerated rural development as we journey towards Vision 2030," he said.