Acting Principal of Pangani Vocational Training Centre Mr Stanford Ngwenya (right) explains to the chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation Honourable Mathias Tongofa (2nd from right) accompanied by his team during a tour of the goat project at the centre in Filabusi, Matabeleland South, yesterday

PANGANI Vocational Training Centre in Insiza district, Matabeleland South, has championed a goat keeping project and most of the beneficiaries are youths.

The student goat incubation hub project started in 2018 and now has a herd of 206 goats. The project hit a brick wall last year after more than 100 goats died due to drought. The project has also been crippled by financial constraints.

Speaking during a tour of the project by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation and the Thematic Committee on Indigenisation and Empowerment in Filabusi on Wednesday.

The centre’s acting principal, Mr Stanford Ngwenya, said 32 students were being trained to venture into goat rearing.

“We have 32 students under training and our main focus is on goat rearing Our plan after training is to set up incubation hubs in the communities where they stay as we want the project not only to benefit the students but the communities as well,” he said.

Mr Ngwenya said through the incubation hubs,the college will provide most of the requirements to start goat rearing.

He said the target is not just to meet local demand for goat meat but also to produce for the export market.

“We want to export to Asian countries where goat meat is in high demand and earn the country the much needed foreign currency,” said Mr Ngwenya.

He said last year they lost a number of goats due to drought as they could not provide supplementay feeding.

Mr Ngwenya said another challenge was rampant theft of goats mostly by illegal gold panners.

“We are surrounded by illegal gold panners who are stealing our goats to slaughter,” he said.

Mr Ngwenya said the college wants to set up a fenced paddock as part of measures to improve security and was therefore appealing to stakeholders to assist with fencing material.

Chairperson of the two committees, Retired Major Mathias Tongofa urged the vocational training centre to adopt a pass on model for the project to benefit more people.

Insiza North MP Farai Taruvinga called on the community and various stakeholders to unite and assist the institution in whatever way necessary so that their livestock production can succeed. — @mthabisi_mthire.