adminSifelani Tsiko Senior Writer
Samson, the Boer goat, looks regal as he passes his keeper Emmanuel Munengiwa (26), looking out into the crowd that had gathered at the Munengiwa homestead at Gawa village in Gokwe South district, about 398km from Harare.
The goat may have been a welcome distraction to people on a field visit to see the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) supported projects at Gawa under the Livelihoods and Food Security Programme (LFSP) which aim to improve the food security and nutrition of smallholder farmers and rural communities in the country.
Samson, the Boer buck, offers the charm while affording people a rare opportunity and experience in goat rearing bonanza in this drought prone district in the central-western part of the country. He is not ceremonial goat but a powerful symbol of hope and the promise of goat farming ventures in rural Gokwe. He is Emmanuel’s most popular companion.
“I love Samson our male Boer goat. We are so proud of him and we know, he holds the future to our goat rearing venture,” he says.
When Emmanuel failed to get a job in Harare after finishing his high school, he felt hopeless, unmotivated and out of options. After getting tired of searching for a job without success, Emmanuel decided to return home at his father’s homestead at Gawa village.
His mind was focused on fighting another war — eking a livelihood in this dry and arid region. However, he was not sure of the kind of weapon he would use to win the battle against this enemy. And when he heard about the LFSP project, supported by the FAO with funding from the UK government, his face lit up.
The project, which is targeting to help nearly 350 000 people in the country by 2018, through various programmes covering crop farming, provision of rural finance and livestock rearing, became Emmanuel’s weapon to survive.
“When I finished my O-Levels, I looked for work and I couldn’t get a job. I got frustrated. I decided to return home in Gawa. I never thought I could find something meaningful to do here until I heard about the LFSP projects,” he says.
“As a group, we managed to secure some money through the savings and credit co-operative (SACCO) fund supported by the LFSP project to venture into poultry and goat rearing. Some ventured into crops such as groundnuts and tractor tillage services.”
But his main calling is in Boer goat rearing. Emmanuel has established himself as goat breeder and has attended training workshops on improved agriculture and livestock breeding conducted by agricultural extension workers and Extension Training for Rural Agriculture (EXTRA) project supported under the LFSP programme.
At present, Emmanuel and other members of the Gawa savings ad credit cooperative have 31 Boer goats and they are targeting to build up the stock to 200 by next year.
“Goat rearing is much better than chicken poultry and crop farming. Here in Gokwe, we have plenty of pasture. Boer goats can thrive and it’s very easy to manage the stocks,” he says.
Plans abound for the group to grow its stocks for both subsistence and commercial purposes. In this part of the country, goats require low maintenance because they eat tree leaves, weeds, grass and agricultural byproducts. Not only are they a source of protein, but also provide livelihood to scores of people in Gokwe district today.
Goats are hardy and easy to look after as they can survive under harsh conditions. Farmers here rear goats for meat and are optimistic about harnessing milk or fibre to increase their earnings. They are even looking to goat skin for commercial value.
The Gawa co-op also has the common breeds that include the large Matabele and the small East African types. The EXTRA project has equipped farmers with the necessary skills related to goat health, goat diseases, breeds of each variety of goat and space recommended per animal.
Most rural households in Gokwe have numerous goats. These animals can help to improve livelihoods for most farmers. Commercialisation could even transform their quality of life for the better. The increasing demand for goat meat is motivating many in this district to shift from subsistence goat farming into a commercialised enterprise.
“It is possible to get the Boer goat breed that is big enough for meat production from farmers here in Gawe,” says Farai Tavesure, a marketing official of the EXTRA programme.
“We need to strengthen extension service delivery and promote group marketing instead of individual marketing. Farmers can get better returns with bulk or group marketing.”
A local veterinary extension worker says the Boer goat breed can be crossed with our local small breeds to yield a cross breed that can produce good marketable meat. Emmanuel says they are selling Boer goat kids for as much as US$70.
“We have a pure breed and then we also have a mixed breed,” he says. “Demand for Boer goats is high and many people are keen to take up Boer goat rearing.”
One male Boer goat, like Samson can service 40 – 50 females. One Boer goat can be purchased at a price of USD$250 on average.
“In the beginning, we were not sure whether our Boer stock would survive or not,” Emmanuel says. “Nowadays, we are enthusiastic about our breeding stock. It shows that over the last few months, all the hard work and the investment has resulted in one of the most outstanding goat project here Gokwe.
“I feel this is not a hobby anymore. I’m motivated to stay here at home than go to Harare or South Africa in search of a job. I’m leading a better life here and I can make more money here and lead a better life.”
The value of Boer goat rearing in Zimbabwe is still grossly underestimated. Goat milk is documented as a perfect source of calcium, protein, vitamins, and minerals for those who have allergies, or are lactose-intolerant.
Goat meat, on the other hand, is the leanest, and contains even less fat than chicken. The average live weight of a mature Boer goat is from 110 – 135kg and it takes about 18 months to reach maturity.
With the beef price hitting a high of $9,00/kg in recent weeks and goat meat prices ranging from $2,50 – $3,00/kg this can give a viable business enterprise. Breeders say Boer goats are a premier goat breed developed in South Africa in the early 1900s for meat production.
They say the most prized adult male Boer goat often reaches weights of up to 160 kg with females reaching 110kg. Huge demand for goats in several countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia presents great opportunities for local breeders.
“I suspect that Zimbabwe livestock breeders do not appreciate how great the local and international demand for live goats is,” says a Harare-based livestock marketing specialist.
“This demand is driven partly by cultural practices, but, increasingly, it can be attributed to the health characteristics of goat meat. More Zimbabweans are consuming goat meat as it becomes more readily available in supermarkets and butcheries.” Most braai spots in various parts of the country are increasingly sourcing goat meat to cater for these preferences.
“We need to capitalise on these potential opportunities. Goat farming must be taken as a business, not just for subsistence purposes. This sector presents huge opportunities for youth employment and improved livelihoods. We need to take it seriously,” says the livestock specialist.
Smart Munengiwa, chairperson of the Gawa SACCO, says his group has 118 members who are committed to improving their livelihoods through various agricultural projects.
To date, he says, the group managed to buy a tractor worth US$27 000 with support from LFSP for tillage services. Members raised 30 percent of the amount while the remainder was sourced from LFSP.
“Our co-operative is thriving and we are realising benefits from tillage services, our hardware shop, poultry and goat projects. We have hosted a number of SACCO groups from Malawi, Ghana and a few other countries. We are a success story. We are now aiming to buy our own stand to build a hardware shop,” Munengiwa said.
The Gawa farmers produced 6 tonnes of groundnuts and realised more than US$3 180 from sales. They sell processed peanut butter in Gokwe, Gweru and other towns in the Midlands province. And given the benefits coming from Boer goat rearing and other projects, Emmanuel says he is not going anywhere.
“My hope of life is here in Gokwe and nowhere else,” he says smiling, holding Samson, the Boer buck.
Online Reporter