Zimbabwe ready to pilot new cattle artificial insemination tech

ZIMBABWE is ready to pilot a new artificial insemination technology with capacity to produce 4 000 semen straws within an hour, which will boost the national herd, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Artificial insemination increases fertility in cattle through use of scientific proven technology. Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Minister Professor Amon Murwira said President Mnangagwa would soon launch the project which complements the Command Livestock programme.

In a telephone interview, Prof Murwira said his ministry was mandated to be a go between ministries and assist through provision of informed research.

“We are doing our bio-technology programme. In Chinhoyi (University of Technology) we already are awaiting commissioning by the President where we are doing cattle reproductive health. We want to produce material for artificial insemination for enhancing the national herd,” said Prof Murwira.

“We have capability to produce 4 000 semen straws per hour and very soon His Excellency the President will officially launch that project. We are doing our programme to enhance national capabilities in various areas, from agriculture to mining to technology to almost anything.”

He said the artificial insemination technology would complement the Command Livestock project, which Government was already implementing. President Mnangagwa in June launched the Command Livestock programme where heifers were given to ordinary farmers.

The Command Livestock programme is targeting areas which may not be good for agricultural farming but have good conditions for animal husbandry.

Meanwhile, Prof Murwira said Government is satisfied with progress in the construction of innovation hubs in universities with building levels above 70 percent. He said the increase in prices on the market has impacted negatively on some of the construction works.

“It (increase in prices) definitely does hamper progress but one of the issues that we are doing is that at most of the universities we are using our own equipment.

“We are only sourcing materials. At the University of Zimbabwe we wanted a metal roof but because the metal roof was getting too expensive we decided to use tiles, which are local. So at higher and tertiary education institutions we must lead by thinking fast.

That’s an example of thinking fast,” he said.

-@nqotshili