Judith Phiri, [email protected]
THE Goat Breeders Association of Zimbabwe (GBAZ) will put climate-smart breeding and sustainable goat production in the spotlight at its 2026 Annual Goat Indaba, as livestock producers seek ways to withstand drought, improve productivity and build resilience to climate change.
The indaba, scheduled for October 30 and 31 at the Masvingo Agricultural Society, will bring together breeders, farmers, agricultural companies and research institutions to exchange knowledge on breeding practices, animal nutrition and sustainable goat production.
The gathering comes as livestock producers face mounting pressure to adapt to erratic rainfall, rising feed costs and declining availability of natural grazing in some areas.
In an interview, GBAZ Southern Region vice-chairperson Ms Yvonne Sibanda said this year’s event would adopt a more practical, participatory approach to agricultural learning.
“This year, we have deliberately moved away from the traditional conference setup, where farmers spend most of their time seated and listening to invited speakers. We believe farmers benefit more when they are actively involved in the learning process.
“Through our partner-led training stations, delegates will have the opportunity to interact directly with trainers, ask questions, observe practical demonstrations and discuss challenges they face on their own farms,” she said.
“We want to create an environment where learning is a two-way process. The trainers bring their technical knowledge and experience, while farmers bring real challenges and practical experiences from the field. That exchange is what makes agricultural learning meaningful.”
Ms Sibanda said the format would also give industry partners an opportunity to engage directly with farmers, strengthen relationships and provide technical support that could extend beyond the two-day event.
She said bringing the national indaba to Masvingo was part of GBAZ’s efforts to expand its reach beyond its traditional hosting centres of Harare and Bulawayo.
“We are delighted that as GBAZ we are expanding our reach beyond our traditional hosting centres of Harare and Bulawayo. Bringing the annual national goat indaba to Masvingo is an important step towards making our programmes, knowledge-sharing platforms and industry networks more accessible to goat farmers across Zimbabwe,” she added.
“Our vision is to establish a stronger GBAZ presence in all provinces of Zimbabwe and become a leading advocate for the commercialisation of goat farming. We want farmers to move beyond keeping goats primarily as a traditional livelihood activity and begin recognising goat production as a viable, profitable and sustainable agribusiness.”
Ms Sibanda said commercialisation should be accompanied by value addition, with opportunities extending across the goat value chain, including breeding stock, meat production, processing, skins, manure and other goat-derived products.
The participation of registered breeders from South Africa, alongside Zimbabwean breeders and other industry stakeholders, is also expected to create opportunities for knowledge exchange, improved production practices and stronger regional livestock industry relationships.
Boer Goat Society of Zimbabwe (BGSZ) executive council chairman Mr Xolisani Mpofu said the indaba would also promote breed standards aimed at improving the Boer goat’s productivity and economic value in commercial meat production.
Formed in March 2026 as a chapter of GBAZ, BGSZ is working to help farmers improve their Boer goat breeding programmes.
“When BGSZ was launched in March 2026, its mandate was clear, to champion responsible Boer goat breeding and breed standards that can contribute to the development of an improved, productive and economically valuable Boer goat for Zimbabwe’s commercial goat meat industry,” said Mr Mpofu.
He said the society was assessing progress made so far, the challenges encountered and its future programme.
Mr Mpofu added that the establishment of BGSZ had given Boer goat breeders a dedicated platform to promote breed standards, breeder education, registration and genetic improvement.
He said the society worked within the wider goat-breeding sector, collaborating with organisations such as GBAZ and the Zimbabwe Herd Book (ZHB).
