Njabulo Bhebe, Sunday News Reporter

THE effects of drought are being felt throughout the farming communities, with the dairy sector having failed to meet its target for last year.

According to the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) the country failed to attain its projected target last year owing to an El Nino induced drought in 2018.

“National milk production figures supplied by the Dairy Services Unit for the year 2019 indicate that the total raw milk production up to November was 72,4 million litres against a national production target and demand of 86 and 120 million litres respectively. 

“The decrease in growth is attributed to the climatic and economic challenges being faced in the country. 

“The El Nino-induced drought experienced in 2018 resulted in inadequate amounts of forage and water across the country while the economic challenges have resulted in increased input costs especially stock feed and drugs,” said ZADF.

ZADF said although the severity of the drought has largely been felt in areas with minimum dairy activities it has also impacted in those areas where it is largely concentrated.

“The drought has affected livestock in the southern part of the country mainly Matabeleland provinces, Middle Sabi and parts of Masvingo. 

“There is minimum dairy activity in these areas so there has been no notable loss to the dairy herd but in some areas with dairy activities droughts have resulted in significant impacts on dairy. 

“Recurrent droughts due to climate change have impacted negatively on the dairy sector as it has affected production, productivity and efficiency in aspects of animal health, reproduction, on-farm fodder production, and availability of drinking water, water for irrigation and raw materials for stock feed production. These coupled with an unfavourable economic environment resulted in slow growth in national milk production where the target national volume for 2019 was 86 million litres,” it said.

Erratic and low rainfall patterns lead to reduced production and productivity of rain fed fodder. 

Diminished water levels and table for both surface and underground water sources in boreholes affecting pastures and fodder irrigation reduced feed availability (silage, pastures and veld) resulting in low production and productivity per cow. 

A significant reduction in drinking water also leads to reduced milk production as 80 percent of milk is water and a cow requires approximately 140 litres of water per day. 

ZADF has come up with a climate change mitigation strategy as part of its efforts minimise the impact of drought on the dairy industry.

“The worsening rainfall distribution patterns, and in some cases the reduction in total rainfall amounts, call for a re-thinking of water management in the agricultural sector as well as re-designing of the cropping and livestock systems. 

“In-line with the country’s National Climate Change response strategy, ZADF has embedded implementation of climate smart activities in its strategic plan,” it said. 

However, national milk production statistics provided by the Dairy Services Unit show that has been a steady increase in milk volumes during the past decade from an all-time low of 37 million litres in 2009 to around 75,4million litres recorded in 2018. 

Despite various challenges being faced along the dairy value chain, the various interventions being implemented by the dairy industry players in the past years are bearing fruit as evidenced by the 104 percent increment from 2009 to 2018.