admin
Edgar Vhera Agriculture Specialist Writer
GOVERNMENT’S drive to re-build the national herd and improve income streams for communal farmers is beginning to bear fruit with 27 farmers from Mt Darwin district pocketing a whopping US$13 659 from the sale of 30 tonnes of fodder produced under the initiative.
The 27 farmers who are part of a group of 60 contracted to do the project sold the fodder at an average price of US$450 per tonne.
This was revealed by Beef Enterprise Strengthening Transformation (BEST) liaison officer, Mrs Irvonnie Shoko recently at this year’s Zimbabwe Agricultural Show.
“These sales are from the lower end bracket of farmers whose yield is around one tonne per hectare. We anticipate most of the higher end section of farmers, whose yields are around eight tonnes per hectare to bring their produce for sale in the second round of produce buying,” said Mrs Shoko.
BEST project is being implemented in 10 districts in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development to promote growth, use and marketing of fodder for farmers in communal areas.
The importance of fodder production was conceived out of the realisation that most livestock in some districts of the country succumb to death due to hunger as a result of poor veld pastures during the dry season. Dry season preparations are critical to ensure that fodder is available for supplementation to avert poverty deaths among livestock and improve their body condition.
Under BEST farmers are linked to private sector players who supply them with seed to produce different fodder varieties such as velvet bean, sunn hemp and lablab under contract farming arrangement. These legumes have high yields with broad leaves to make hay.
“The thrust of BEST is to promote fodder production at household, farm and community levels. For communal farmers without irrigation the fodder is produced during rainy season and stored. The legumes are harvested while they are still green and stored under shade and are used as supplements during the dry season,” said Sustainable Agriculture Technology private sector engagement specialist, Mr Onious Mtetwa.
Velvet bean being leguminous, is planted by communal farmers at the onset of the rainfall season and has the advantage of requiring minimum fertilisation and important in rotation with cereals. Farmers can also graduate from subsistence to engage in commercial fodder production.
“Production of fodder for commercial purposes is taking place at two sites; in Mwenezi using water from Mwenezi river as well as at Umguza (Balley ARDA estate). In Umguza the high yielding Katambora grass (which yields between 30 to 40 tonnes per hectare) is being planted under a 50ha centre pivot system,” added Mr Mtetwa.
Production of Katambora has the added advantage that it is a perennial crop spanning four to five years, yet harvesting occurs after every six weeks to make hay bales. Wheat bales are not as nutritious as Katambora bales for livestock.
“Farmers have the option of cutting and selling their hay bales or bring in their cattle for fattening within pastures of the cattle business centre (CBC). The advantage of the CBC is the guaranteed input and output market (fodder and cattle) as well as ancillary services,” continued Mr Mtetwa.
“Due to false start of the rainfall season last year, most fodder was replanted in January after what had been planted at the onset of rains in November permanently wilted. Though harvesting is complete, processing of fodder is on-going. Processing involves drying, shelling, trash removal and packaging,” elaborated Mr Mtetwa.
Fodder production is an entry point to the beef value chain for women and youth as they are able to buy cattle from their fodder sales, a sure empowerment for disadvantaged groups. Forty percent of participants in fodder production are women and youth.
The BEST modelled around a CBC was established in areas where there was a high catch of cattle population especially previous sell points for Cold Storage Commission (CSC). The CBC is in a fenced area (minimum 2, 5 ha), enough to put infrastructure and also fodder production. The goal is for farmers to copy technology and implement at household level. The CBC has a tractor and hay making equipment for use by farmers. The CBC is run by the committee that is set up by the farmers themselves.
Infrastructure under the CBC comprise a shed where private sector players bring in their equipment, machinery and inputs for sale to farmers thereby lowering input cost.
Online Reporter