adminRaymond Jaravaza
Bulawayo Bureau
GWANDA State University (GSU) has unveiled a plan to boost the agricultural sector and maximise value addition through livestock production.
The university has initiated stock feed production using residue from its wheat and maize crops harvested at Insingadale Farm. As part of the expansion, GSU also plans to establish an abattoir to broaden its business opportunities.
Located in Insiza District, Matabeleland South, Insingadale Farm was formerly part of the Epoch Mine. GSU has successfully transformed the premises into a productive agricultural hub, cultivating wheat and maize crops.
The university’s decision to venture into stock feed production aligns with its broader strategy to achieve self-sufficiency and contribute to the economy.
By utilising crop residue, GSU demonstrates its commitment to sustainable agricultural practices. The stock feed initiative not only reduces waste, but also provides a valuable resource for livestock farmers in the region.
The establishment of an abattoir will further enhance value addition by allowing GSU to process and market its livestock products directly.
The winter wheat, planted on 17 hectares, is currently at the harvesting stage, with GSU expecting to yield 88 tonnes. A combine harvester supplied by AFC Commercial Bank was expected to commence harvesting the wheat last Wednesday, according to management.
Another four hectares are under maize, which is anticipated to be harvested by mid-December. The farm also cultivates watermelons.
Instead of discarding the wheat and maize stalks after harvesting, the university plans to produce silage for its herd of cattle and goats.
“We have a growing herd of cattle and goats, so instead of letting the wheat and maize stalks go to waste, we have decided to venture into stock feed production. The stock feed will ensure that we spend less on feeding our livestock while providing them with nutritious food that we produce ourselves,” said the GSU Vice Chancellor, Professor Doreen Zandile Moyo.
To maximise value addition in livestock production, the university plans to construct an abattoir where the cattle and goats will be slaughtered for meat, and the leather sold as a by-product. Leather is the second most valuable product that cattle produce after meat. Value addition aligns with the Heritage-Based 5.0 education curriculum, which encourages universities to be innovative in the face of an ever-changing world and produce graduates who offer solutions to the country’s challenges.
“It’s important for us to produce graduates who are innovators, and it starts with the university taking a leading role in developing innovations that reflect the changes the world is undergoing, such as climate change,” said Prof Moyo.
“We plan to have our own abattoir, slaughter the livestock here, and keep the hides, which will be sold as leather products as part of the value addition thrust,” she said.
With 100 hectares of land allocated to the university by the Government, GSU took just under a year to turn a significant portion of the land productive. The university hired locals to clear 20 hectares of land in December last year, and six months later, their first-ever winter wheat crop was planted in mid-June this year.
The farm draws bulk water from the Insiza River for irrigation after obtaining a permit from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), in addition to boreholes at the farm. By transforming previously barren land into a commercial venture, GSU is not only enhancing food security, but also contributing to the rural industrialisation of Filabusi.
The university has cultivated 17,8 hectares of winter wheat at its Insingadale Farm and expects to harvest 88 tonnes, translating to more than four tonnes per hectare. A relatively young university established in 2016, GSU is making strides in contributing to the skills base in the country in addition to food production.
Online Reporter