Farmers demand prioritised command livestock

The looming command livestock programme has to prioritise regions that intensively keep livestock to avoid unnecessary abuse of government funds, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) vice-president, Phillip Mauta has said.

By Tinotenda Munyukwi

The $300 million special programme on livestock production recently got approval from Cabinet and is expected to benefit farmers and public institutions including prisons and police farms.

Mauta told NewsDay that as farmers, they were giving a nod to this government arrangement, but called for a prudent selection criteria so that the programme benefits areas that possess huge potential in livestock production.

“We are already waiting for the programme particularly after the success of the command agriculture programme, I am sure this one will help us again as farmers,” he said.

“I should say our hope is that when the programme comes, the areas that are supposed to benefit first are the areas which are known to do intensive livestock production as this will entail the correct use of the funds that have been disbursed for the programme.”

ZFU executive director, Paul Zacharia urged farmers to follow proper business models, which require them to sell their produce and buy inputs for the coming seasons with government support only aiding them with more inputs.

The special programme on livestock production is expected to boost beef cattle, dairy cow, pigs, sheep, goat, fish and wildlife production through resuscitation and establishment of dip tanks, watering points and livestock infrastructure.