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Elton Manguwo
ROAD-RUNNER production has positively responded to the raft of measures rolled out by the Zimbabwe Free Range Poultry Association (ZFRPA) with a view to stir the sub-sector towards further growth in line with the country’s Livestock and Recovery Growth Plan.
Addressing stakeholders at the ‘good agricultural practice for free range poultry production’ standard launch in Harare recently, ZFRPA chairperson Mr Aaron Shamu said since the formation of the association free range production was growing in the country.
In 2015 the population of free range chickens was 23 million and doubled to 51 million birds in 2022,” said Mr Shamu.
The association is set to complement Government’s efforts of improving markets and marketability of livestock at domestic, regional and international levels.
“As a grouping of like-minded people we looked for ways of growing the road runner sub-space as the birds were not readily available in our local stores,” said Mr Shamu.
ZFRPA was formed with a vision to commercialise free range indigenous poultry, which include chickens commonly known as ‘roadrunners,’ turkeys, guinea fowl and ducks.
The development comes at a time the Government is looking to develop rural communities through the Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme, which has seen 3 million households benefitting from selling eggs and chicks generated from birds they received under the programme.
The chairman said the association started with a membership of 132 farmers that has since grown to 2000, as the poultry sub-sector continues to grow.
“We have farmers in different value chains of the free range business from egg, day-old chicks’ production and meat marketing,” said Mr Shamu.
The poultry industry had been saddled with challenges in production, processing and marketing before the introduction of the Livestock and Recovery Growth Plan by Government.
“When we get tender to supply poultry products we engage our membership for the opportunity to provide the products,” said Mr Shamu.
The Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme has presented us with an opportunity to develop the sector and brought consistency to our supply tendencies.
“Our production has been growing. Now we are producing 80 000 chicks per week and we are looking to grow the number to 200 000,” said Mr Shamu.
ZFRPA and the Standards Association of Zimbabwe launched good agricultural practice for free range poultry production standard ZWS: 2022 as the last piece in the development of the sub-sector.
The standard will see significant increases in the levels of production of live free range chicken, eggs and chicken meat by rural households.
“The good agricultural practices for free range could not come at a better time to support the livestock sector and ensure improved production,” observed the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr Anxious Masuka recently.
Online Reporter