Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
At least 42 families in Bindura have benefited from a piggery project sponsored by South Korea and managed by the Pig Industry Board of Zimbabwe, to improve the quality of pork products in the country and building capacity for small holder farmers.

The Saemaul Undong programme also involves the setting up of certified abattoirs, agro-processing industrial plants and low-cost pellet pig feed manufacturing plants for the districts involved.

Officially launching the project recently, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Senator Monica Mavhunga said the Government’s thrust since independence was to improve the livelihoods of marginalised communities.

“Diligence, commitment, self-help and active involvement are the slogans that drive community members to participate in the development process to improve their own livelihoods,” she said.

“Since independence, the Government has made concerted efforts to improve the lives of marginalised communities through the successful land-reform programme and community share ownership schemes.

“The Government also supported the active participation of women, youths, war veterans, in socio-economic activities within our communities. President Mnangagwa implemented the devolution and decentralisation policy to guide and buttress this constitutional agenda.”

Sen Mavhunga hailed the cooperation between Mashonaland Central and Gyeongsangnum-do province of South Korea.

She said the Saemaul Undong concept was introduced on April 22, 1970 by the then South Korean President Park Chung-hee with the primary objective to modernise rural South Korean communities.

“I commend the people of Ushongani where the programme started, for readily embracing and getting actively involved in the project, I challenge the beneficiaries to ensure they look after the piglets, grow the project, and be able to give back so that the programme continues to expand to other districts”, she said.

The project’s technical advisor Mr Alec Kaguru said it was aimed at improving pig breeds through advanced artificial insemination technologies and improving production of value added pork products.

Beneficiaries will have access to low-cost pig feed technologies, abattoir facilities, commercial markets and training.

“The project started at Zvarimwa Ushongani Saemaul Centre in Bindura in 2016,” said Mr Kaguru.

For sustainability, each Saemaul group has a Community Saving Fund where members invest part of their revenues from their sales proceeds and borrow credit loans later at below market interest rates.

“Saemaul Undong Programme complements policies of the Government of an upper middle income economy by 2030. The programme empowers women and the youth by creating employment, increasing disposable incomes, promoting food security. The training involves using artificial insemination, feed production and record management. After the training, each family starts their own pig project and are given two fertilised gilts.”