Bongani Ndlovu
Nqobile Bhebhe, [email protected]
CALEDONIA Mining Corporation has launched an artificial insemination programme targeting 1 000 cattle in Gwanda Rural District as part of efforts to rebuild drought-affected herds, improve livestock productivity and strengthen rural livelihoods in Matabeleland South.
The initiative, being implemented in partnership with the Department of Veterinary Services, is highlighted in the company’s 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report and forms part of Caledonia’s broader strategy to support climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable community development.
The programme comes at a time when communities in Gwanda and surrounding areas continue to recover from the devastating effects of recurring droughts and climate-related shocks that have reduced cattle populations, weakened household incomes and threatened food security.
According to Caledonia, the artificial insemination project is expected to not only increase cattle numbers but also improve herd genetics, leading to enhanced productivity and long-term resilience.
“In the semi-arid Gwanda district, increasing climate variability, including recurring droughts, periods of intense rainfall and localised flooding, has placed growing pressure on cattle herds and small-scale agriculture, undermining household incomes and food security,” the company said in its report.
“These more frequent and unpredictable extreme weather events have heightened the vulnerability of livelihoods across the district. Through our Agriculture pillar, we worked with local partners in 2025 to support more resilient production systems that can better withstand a range of climatic shocks.”
Caledonia said the livestock recovery initiative was a key component of efforts to strengthen rural economies that have been severely affected by climate-induced losses.
“We also launched an artificial insemination programme for cattle in Ward 1 of Gwanda Rural District, in partnership with the Department of Veterinary Services. The initiative targets 1 000 cows with an envisaged conception rate of 90 percent, aiming to restock cattle herds severely depleted by recent droughts while improving herd genetics and productivity over time,” said the company.
The mining firm said combining livestock restocking with improved veterinary support would help communities build resilience against future climatic challenges and livestock diseases.
In addition to livestock development, Caledonia has continued supporting crop production through irrigation projects in the district.
The company said it maintained water supplies to Gwakwe Gardens throughout the year, enabling farmers to continue producing crops despite erratic rainfall patterns.
“At Gwakwe Gardens, we continued to supply water for irrigation throughout the year, enabling community members to cultivate maize for sale and household consumption even during dry periods,” the report noted.
By the fourth quarter of 2025, approximately one hectare of maize was being sold as green mealies, while another 0.5 hectares was being prepared for planting ahead of the festive season market.
Caledonia said the irrigation support provides a buffer against rainfall variability and creates opportunities for participating households to generate income from surplus produce.
The company believes that integrating irrigated horticulture with livestock restocking and veterinary services will contribute significantly to stabilising rural livelihoods and strengthening the economic foundations of communities vulnerable to climate change.
“By combining irrigated horticulture with livestock restocking and veterinary support, our agriculture investments are helping to stabilise rural livelihoods and strengthen the economic foundations of communities that have historically been highly vulnerable to climate variability and the incidence of seasonal bovine disease,” said Caledonia.
The initiative is expected to play a key role in supporting Zimbabwe’s broader climate resilience and rural development goals while improving the livelihoods of farming households in Gwanda.
