adminMercy Ngwebvu
DEPUTY Minister of Agriculture (Livestock), Cde Paddy Zhanda, has urged small-holder dairy farmers to make use of the Dairy Development Fund account opened as an initiative by Government and private sector to reduce milk imports and increase the national milk production levels which are currently at 54 million litres per annum.
Speaking at the prize giving ceremony of the Small-holder Dairy Farmer of the Year held in Honde Valley last week, Cde Zhanda said the country’s milk production falls short from the national demand of 120 million litres per year, adding that the deficit was being compensated by imports, something he described as unhealthy for the country’s well being.
“My ministry has embarked on coming up with a livestock policy meant to guide the livestock industry towards efficiency of production and productivity. Through the concerted efforts by the Zimbabwe Dairy Industry Trust, dairy farmers will, through the Fund be able to access loans at concessionary rates. The purpose of the fund is to improve farmers’ access to capital for various activities at their farms, especially infrastructure development,”
“The ministry also intends to improve extension delivery services by way of training workers in dairy project areas. Extension workers will then be assigned to particular projects so as to effectively monitor the whole milk production chain closely,” he said.
Cde Zhanda also challenged the remaining white farmers in the country to assist small-holder farmers, saying the short term therapy to alleviate poverty in the country was to localize production.
“The growing prominence of the small-holder agriculture sector cannot be over emphasized and their growing involvement in the dairy sub sector is not an exception.
“It remains expedient therefore for Zimbabwe’s dairy sector to be supported so that the country transits from the situation of dairy products insufficiency to self sufficiency so that it serves on resources outflows to create the much needed jobs for our farmers and their families,” he said.
Also at the ceremony, the chairman for the Zimbabwe Dairy Farmers Association (ZADF), Mr Craig Follwell, expressed confidence in the country’s achievement of dairy products self sufficiency in five years, adding that Government, farmers and retailers should all work together to curb the current low milk production volumes and secure milk supply for the good health of Zimbabweans.
“We as ZADF take the Zim-Asset blueprint as our mandate for service delivery. We intend to win back our home market of dairy products and to restore its competitiveness.
“We will continue to seek funding for the development of this sector in collaboration with Government and industry to ensure growth and technical support in the areas of herd management, fodder production as well as conservation and business development services,” he said.
The current national herd stands at 5.3 million, of which 26 502 are dairy cows and heifers. 3 155 of the dairy cows and heifers are in the small-holder sector, while 25 706 cows and heifers are in the commercial sector.
Online Reporter