Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
President Mnangagwa is expected to launch a youth livestock scheme in Kwekwe tomorrow.
Before the launch, President Mnangagwa is expected to lead a clean-up campaign that will take place in the city’s central business district.
Acting Kwekwe District Development Coordinator (DDC), Mr Clemence Muduma said they were elated as a district to host the country’s first citizen, who also hails from the mining town.
“President Mnangagwa will first take part in the clean-up campaign that we always do as a city. Remember he launched the clean-up programme and we are elated that he will be part of the programme in his hometown,” said Mr Muduma.
“After that he will officiate at the launch of the Midlands Youth Livestock Hub at DCK Farm on the outskirts of Kwekwe. The programme will see about 600 youths drawn from across the country receiving 600 heifers from the President to kickstart the project.”
The project is a life skill that will be instilled within youths and is expected to become an income generating project which will improve youths’ lives.
The project will also go a long way in improving the national cattle herd as well as help achieve Vision 2030.
Government is also implementing the Livestock Growth Plan which seeks to grow the sector to US$1,9 billion by 2025.
The Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy also anchors and propels Zimbabwe towards Vision 2030 to become an upper-middle-income economy.
Under the scheme increasing the cattle numbers from a 2019 baseline of 5,4 million to 6 million in 2025 with a beef production of 90 000 tonnes and milk production from 79,9 million to 150 million are some of the targets of the Livestock Growth Plan.
The programme also aims at increasing the national dairy herd from 38 000 in 2019 to 60 000 by 2025.
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