Sundaymail Editor
Tanyaradza Mutizwa
THE Value Chain Alliance for Livestock Upgrading and Empowerment (Value) has imported improved goat genetics from Namibia to improve the quality of goat breeds for smallholder farmers across the country.
Value is a project under the European Union-funded Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme running from 2019 to 2023 championed by Action Aid Zimbabwe and focusing on the goat and pig value chain.
The importation of 86 goat breeding stock comes after the consortium imported 225 goat genetics from South Africa in 2019 which have already been distributed to some of the 80 000 smallholder goat farmers who are set to benefit from the programme.
In an interview, Value team leader Mr Newton Chari said the recently imported breeding stock consist of the Kalahari Red, Boer, Toggenburg and Saneen breeds.
“We have imported quality goat genetics which are set to improve the quality of genetics we currently have in the country right now,” he said.
The goats are currently quarantined at the Zvikomborero Farm, Matopos Research Station and Grasslands Research Station.
“After quarantine the goats will join others in production to ensure supply of improved breeds to farmers across the districts. The partners are already working towards propagating so that the breeding stock becomes more accessible to the majority of the small holder farmers,” he said.
Online Reporter