Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
THE Government has started rolling out climate-smart interventions in the dairy sector, including the establishment of drought-tolerant fodder banks and distribution of resilient forage seed varieties, as Zimbabwe prepares for the threat of another El Niño-induced dry spell.
Director for Livestock and Fisheries Production in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Mr Milton Makumbe said climate change was already affecting critical dairy production factors such as water availability, feed supply and milk yields, requiring farmers to adopt more resilient production systems.
Speaking during the Dairy School Field Day and We Effect iMOVED Project Brown Bag event held at Rainbow’s End Dairy in Seke District, Mr Makumbe said the Government was shifting focus towards climate-proofing dairy enterprises through improved feed systems and sustainable production practices.
“Climate change is no longer a future threat. It is here. It is affecting water, feed, and milk yields,” he said.
“The future of our dairy sector must therefore embrace drought-tolerant fodder banks, solar-powered boreholes, resilient genetics, and climate-smart manure management through biogas digesters and composting.”
Zimbabwe’s dairy industry has previously been affected by droughts, with limited pasture and water availability increasing production costs and reducing milk output.
To strengthen preparedness, Government is rolling out forage seeds to 1 830 dairy farmers across the country, including cowpea, forage sorghum and Lucerne varieties, which are expected to provide protein-rich feed and help stabilise milk production during periods of moisture stress.
Mr Makumbe said farmers were also being encouraged to adopt conservation-based feed management practices, including silage making and urea treatment of crop residues to improve feed availability.
The interventions come as Zimbabwe continues to strengthen climate resilience across agricultural value chains ahead of the 2026/27 farming season, which is expected to face increased risks associated with El Niño conditions.
Apart from feed security, Government is promoting improved water management systems, including solar-powered boreholes, as part of efforts to reduce the vulnerability of dairy farmers to climate shocks.
The Ministry is also transforming Milk Collection Centres (MCCs) into dairy hubs that will provide farmers with services such as artificial insemination, animal health support, feed supplies and technical training.
Mr Makumbe said the transformation of MCCs would help smallholder farmers move from subsistence production into commercially viable dairy enterprises.
“Smallholder systems hold approximately 90 percent of the national herd, presenting significant scope for expansion through targeted interventions,” he said.
