‘Upscale production in all sections of the pork value chain’

Ashton Mutyavaviri

IT is crucial for pork producers to upscale production along all value chain components to boost to productivity and profitability to enable the sector to create employment and enhance the country’s foreign currency earnings.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Professor Obert Jiri made the remarks during the Zimbabwe Agriculture Growth Programme VALUE Project superior pig genetics handover ceremony held at the Pig Industry Board (PIB) premises in Arcturus recently. He urged small-scale producers to increase production and contribute to the country’s march towards attaining an upper-middle income economy by 2030.
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Prof Jiri’s call comes at a time Government is making relentless efforts to enhance the performance of country’s agriculture industry to promote sustainable economic growth.

“We want to create value for the smallholder farmers. We do not want to see pigs being transported to Harare. We want to buy processed meat directly from the farmers,” added Prof Jiri.

He urged farmers to transport processed meat to markets rather than live animals. Farmers should unite and build abattoirs to process their meat, he added.

Prof Jiri also challenged farmers to create and register their own industries adding that this would create employment, as they would recruit people who slaughter, clean and pack the products.

Said Prof Jiri: “We are doing this in every agriculture sub-sector to ensure that there is employment creation to achieve our National Rural Development 8, 0. We are creating rural industries in every village for the youths, for each school. We want to see the same in the livestock sector after you create industries in your villages.”

Government has repeatedly urged livestock farmers to embrace value addition and establish comprehensive value chains. By doing so, farmers can transform their operations into more integrated and efficient systems, increasing the overall value and marketability of their products.

The Ministry together with agricultural extension services, will spearhead the implementation of these initiatives. They will work closely with farmers, cooperatives, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful adoption and integration of value chains in piggery operations across the country.

Meanwhile, Livestock Meat Advisory Council executive administrator Dr Reneth Mano concurred that value addition involved processing and packaging raw agricultural products to create finished goods with higher value and increased demand. In the context of livestock farming, this would include activities such as meat processing, packaging and grading. By engaging in these value-addition activities, farmers can tap into new markets and command higher prices for their products.

“The promotion of value chains in pork production is expected to have several positive outcomes. Firstly, it will create employment opportunities in rural areas, reducing poverty and enhancing livelihoods. Secondly, it will contribute to food security by increasing the availability and diversity of pork products. Lastly, it will stimulate economic growth by boosting the agricultural sector’s growth and attract investment,” Dr Mano explained.

By embracing value addition and adopting modern farming practices, farmers can enhance productivity, profitability, and market access, he added.