Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
AS the world sips its lattes and savours its cheddar – Zimbabwe is busy milking its potential – a litre at a time.
In its kitchens, milk is more than just a white liquid.
It is the magic behind breakfast cereals, richness in teas, delight in every glass, and creamy smoothness in yoghurt tubs lining supermarket shelves.
From tangy cheese cubes at weddings to sweet condensed milk poured into mugs of coffee, the country’s culinary life is deeply rooted in dairy.
Yet, behind every packet and bottle lies the story of effort, policy, and purpose, and the nation’s attempt to produce enough of its own milk to meet growing demand.
Despite the wide range of dairy products available today, the country still relies on imports of milk and milk-based products to meet demand.
At the heart of this challenge lies a simple, yet stark reality – the country is not producing enough milk to meet its national needs.
“We do have a shortage. There is a gap between our milk production and national demand. This gap is costly and restricts the sector’s growth. As a result, Government is prioritising feed production, as feed accounts for approximately 70 percent of the cost of milk production. If we can reduce the cost of feed, we can make dairy farming more viable,” acknowledged Chief Dairy Officer in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Mr Edmore Waniwa.
To bridge this gap, Government has adopted multiple strategies aimed at supporting both new and existing dairy farmers.
“We are providing training for new farmers entering the sector, teaching them how to produce safe, quality products that are competitive, not only locally, but regionally and internationally. We aim to produce efficiently, reducing the cost of milk and increasing our competitiveness across the region,” he said.
One of the most significant efforts has been the introduction of schemes such as the Presidential Input Scheme and the Presidential Fodder and Silage Scheme.
These initiatives provide farmers with the means to grow their own animal feed, promoting self-sufficiency and reducing reliance on external suppliers.
The initiatives are, not solely focused on cost-cutting – they also prioritise sustainability.
“On-farm feed production is critical. When farmers grow their own feed, they reduce dependence on expensive commercial stock feed. This increases profitability and helps keep the farmer in business,” added Mr Waniwa.
The strategy appears to be yielding positive results.
In 2024, Zimbabwe achieved a milestone, with milk production rising to 115 million litres – 110 percent increase compared to figures from a decade ago.
This progress was commended during this year’s World Milk Day commemorations held in Mutare recently.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza noted that dairy farming is transforming rural Zimbabwe.
“This progress is, not only boosting our national food security, but also creating employment and income for thousands of families across the country. Milk is no longer just about nutrition, it is a livelihood,” said Minister Mugadza.
With over 44 000 people employed directly in the dairy sector and thousands more indirectly – milk has become a lifeline for many households.
The growth has been particularly beneficial for small-scale farmers, women, and youths, many of them are now being empowered through dairy mechanisation projects and rural dairy hubs.
“Through Government, Zimbabwe has partnered with Belarus, a leading dairy producer to enhance our dairy industry. This is part of President Mnangagwa’s ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’ initiative and the results are becoming clear,” said Minister Mugadza.
President Mnangagwa’s push for local solutions has been echoed in many of the sector’s developments.
Minister Mugadza said initiatives such as the Command Livestock Programme which distributed dairy heifers to farmers, and the Presidential Youth Livestock Scheme, are helping Zimbabwe rebuild its national dairy herd and secure its food systems.
However, the nation still lags behind global and regional milk consumption standards.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, the average person should consume about 200 litres of milk annually. The nation’s current per capita consumption stands at just 12 litres per person per year.
“That is a huge gap. We need to promote milk consumption more seriously, especially among children and families living in rural areas. Malnutrition is still a problem in our country, and milk could play a key role in fighting it,” he said.
Minister Mugadza added: “Dairy farming contributes to foreign currency earnings, employment, rural development, and national nutrition. It is an important component of agricultural transformation, which is at the centre of President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030. The success of our milk production reflects the hard work and resilience of Zimbabwean farmers. Indeed, milk is no longer just about nutrition or taste. In Zimbabwe, it has become a symbol of resilience, innovation, and community.”
The dairy sector’s rebound has not gone unnoticed by processors.
Ms Hazel Mutimbira, a marketing assistant at Kefalos, said the rising milk supply is allowing local companies to diversify their product lines and offer value-added dairy products.
“More milk means more opportunities, from cheese to yoghurt production. It is a win-win for farmers and consumers. When our raw milk is locally produced, we can control quality, freshness, and pricing,” she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by Mrs Clementine Maregere, a secretariat with the Dairy Processors Association of Zimbabwe, who said processors are keen on expanding operations and modernising infrastructure.
“We are witnessing more investment flowing into dairy processing. Local processors want to increase capacity so that we cannot only meet local demand, but also tap into export markets. The demand for local dairy in neighbouring countries is growing, but we must first meet our local requirements,” said Mrs Maregere.
She also applauded Government for supporting cold chain development and encouraging public-private partnerships to address infrastructure deficits in milk handling and transportation.
“Without cold storage and reliable logistics, milk will not move. That is a fact. But we are seeing movement in the right direction,” she said.
While the sector celebrates, the work is far from done.
The agriculture ministry projects a further 15 percent increase in milk production in 2025 – tied to continued Government and private sector collaboration.
Globally, milk production reached 981 million tonnes in 2024, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), with over 150 million households involved in dairy farming.
