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Monalisa Chikwengo
THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is rolling out a goat crossbreeding programme to come up with drought tolerant products that can tolerate the arid conditions of the region as efforts to climate-proof agricultural enterprises gather momentum in the agriculture industry’s various sub-sectors.
FAO sub-regional coordinator for Southern Africa Mr Patrice Talla said the programme would improve the local goat breeds and potentially reduce reliance of communities on wild meat, which will also help reduce poaching.
The programme is being implemented in Binga rural district.
“Three wards across the district received 15 Boer and 21 Kalahari bucks with each ward walking away with 12 goats,” explained Mr Talla.
Binga district has since realised 500 new off springs from the crossbreeding initiative.
The programme is part of an Innovative Sustainable Management (SWM) initiative to safeguard the environment and enhance agricultural production.
The project also drilled two boreholes in Wards 3 and 4 and rehabilitated one borehole in Ward 5 and installed it with solar pumping systems.
“The local communities have benefited from the solar-powered boreholes. There is now clean water available in Ward 5 for the villagers, supplying two schools, a clinic and business centre,” said Mr Talla.
The SWM programme also supported the rehabilitation of dip tanks in the three wards as they were no longer functioning.
“Cattle dipping has now resumed. Through dipping farmers have managed to minimise production losses, as they are successfully controlling ticks and flies and consequently, the diseases associated with these pests,” he said.
The SWM programme works hand in hand with traditional chiefs, local communities with support from the Government.
“The main aim of our initiative is to have a formalised community conservancy established in Binga,” said Mr Talla.
Online Reporter