peter
ONE indisputable truism is that agricultural production in a nation is important for both food security and economic development reasons.
While agriculture may not be the highest contributor regards the gross domestic product (GDP) of a nation, it remains very important in so far as feeding the nation as well as both contributing to both informal and formal employment sector.
It is in that regard that, this pen feels we should discuss the broader various sections of agriculture production in our country and make serious considerations towards having them operate above optimum levels. I am no mechanic by any stretch of imagination but I will use components of an engine to illustrate my view.
Inside an automobile engine are pistons that work together with other components to fire the engine and get it running. I would like to equate the broad agriculture economy to the entire automobile engine, and the various pistons to the different value chains that make up an agricultural economy.
Each of those value chains is as important to the performance of the entire agricultural sector as is the various engine contributions to the general performance of the engine.
It is thus in the interest of the nation to get all the different agricultural value chains functioning so that there is a plural contribution to the broad basket of agriculture.
Narrowing it down to the livestock sector, it is the submission of this article that, all the different livestock production-based value chains should be treated as very important and given attention to make them operate efficiently for the broader benefit of the livestock sector.
Over the years we have witnessed the shrinking of once a very important pig production sector. This is a sector which has a very big market notwithstanding the religious doctrines that forbid consumption of pork.
However, pig production has been on steady decline over the years, with critical institutions such as the parastatal responsible for the sector, itself left to limp almost into obscurity and near extinction.
We should not allow that to persist, but as a nation we need to re-energise this sector and make sure it fires from all cylinders for the good livestock production and agriculture. The pig outgrower schemes that used to boost farmers with production stock as well as extension need to be revived.
Pig production-based abattoirs, manufacturing and retail need to come back to life so that this entire value chain can breathe. We have other livestock-based value chains such as goat and poultry production, which also need the same stamina to give them life.
The point being, we need pluralism of value chains to fire the livestock production economy.
We cannot all be doing cattle and hope the livestock sector will grow and thrive.
Vibrant goat, poultry and piggery values chains are important for the overall performance of the livestock production economy.
Heavily subscribing one value chain results in a glut or over cropping depending on the nature of that value chain, and either of these two are not good for the performance of the sectors.
A glut drives down the producer prices to unviable levels with a long-term negative impact on the performance of the value chain. While over cropping or harvesting leads to a sure death of that value chain. A good example of over harvesting, killing the entire value chain, is in the fish production value chain, specifically from the giant Zambezi River.
The river has been over harvested over the years and now there is almost no fish or kapenta to sustain a business from the Zambezi River. In fact, the river now needs to be closed from fishing for at least two years before it recovers!
My point is not to discuss the ecology of the giant river but to illustrate that oversubscribing one value chain because it is the one that seems viable at the time, creates over harvesting, and kills the goose that lays the proverbial golden egg.
There is real and urgent need to revitalise all other livestock-based value chains and we should be prepared to invest the time and energy needed to build these sectors with a full conviction and appreciation of their overall importance to the broader framing of the livestock production economy. Uyabonga umntaka MaKhumalo.
l Mhlupheki Dube is a livestock specialist and farmer. He writes in his own capacity. Feedback [email protected] cell 0772851275
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