Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
UMZINGWANE District’s Queens of Reds Goat Breeding Cooperative is making remarkable strides in improving goat production in Matabeleland South Province.
Since its establishment in 2023, the cooperative has expanded its herd to 350 goats, a mix of Matabele and Kalahari breeds, with an ambitious goal of producing pure stud breeds for export.
The farmers are also breeding F1 crosses, which are offspring of the Matabele and Kalahari goats, to supply local farmers and enhance the province’s herd quality. The Kalahari breed is known for its large frame and fast growth rate, while the Matabele breed boasts a high conception rate and resilience to harsh climatic conditions.
Leading the cooperative is Ms Sikhumbulile Dube, who owns 128 goats within the herd. She highlighted how crossbreeding the Matabele and Kalahari goats has significantly improved conception rates and overall breed quality.
“When we started in 2023, we had just 10 members and a total of 184 goats bought by individual farmers. Today, we have grown to 34 members under the farmer field school concept,” said Ms Dube.
The farmers initially started with Matabele Boer goats and later introduced Kalahari bucks to produce the first-generation (F1) crosses.
Ms Dube’s journey into structured goat breeding began after attending a Green Climate Fund workshop at Esigodini Agricultural College, where she received training in small livestock production. Inspired by this knowledge, she mobilised fellow farmers, leading to the formation of Queens of Reds in April 2023.
“We created our farmer field school in 2023 after training on rearing small livestock, which are ideal for our area because of low rainfall,” she said.
Through networking with other goat breeders, the group has shared knowledge, exchanged best practices, and expanded market opportunities. Queens of Reds not only benefits its members but also serves as a training hub for other farmers keen on improving goat breeding.
“We host farmers who visit us to learn best practices, and the knowledge we gained from the Green Climate Fund programme has been invaluable. Many farmers overlook dipping and vaccinating goats, yet these are key to reducing mortality and improving herd productivity,” said Ms Dube.
As a result of their improved husbandry practices, the mortality rate of kids has significantly decreased.
Queens of Reds farmer field school chairperson, Mr Vusumuzi Mpofu, said their 350-goat herd is distributed across members’ homesteads, ensuring sustainable herd management. The group conducts practical lessons and experiments at Ms Dube’s homestead.
“Our vision is to increase F1 crosses because they grow fast and have a larger frame, making them highly marketable. At the moment, we sell locally, but as our numbers grow, we aim to expand sales across Zimbabwe and even into the Southern African region,” said Mr Mpofu.
He added that the cooperative plans to establish more farmer field schools in the area to transfer knowledge and enhance goat production in rural communities.
Government is actively promoting goat production in communal areas as part of efforts to boost the livestock sector.
Matabeleland South Provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services (Ardas) deputy director, Mr Bhekilizwe Ncube, commended the cooperative’s progress.
“These farmers started small, but they are now operating at a commercial level. Their passion and commitment to making this project successful will go a long way in improving the province’s goat breeds and growing the herd,” he said.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, in partnership with the Green Climate Fund and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has rolled out the farmer field schools concept to promote peer-to-peer learning.
To date, over 230 farmer field schools have been established under this programme, strengthening knowledge-sharing and resilience-building among rural farmers.
