Mitigating the impact of livestock diseases in Zimbabwe

HARARE – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development-Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID-BHA) commissioned farming equipment aimed at increasing the capacity of farmers to mass process homegrown animal stock feeds while improving household resilience to ‘shocks’ by protecting their livestock assets.

The process of commissioning the equipment took place in Bulawayo. The commissioning is part of the “Mitigating the impact of livestock diseases in Zimbabwe” project, which is funded to the tune of USD2,2 million by USAID-BHA, where 40 mobile diesel operated chaff cutters were commissioned. Furthermore, the project is rehabilitating 60 dip tanks, coupled with drilling of 20 boreholes and construction of one-hectare drip irrigated gardens around the boreholes.

“This equipment and infrastructure are expected to strengthen responses to control livestock disease outbreaks, thereby protecting livelihood assets, and promoting improved livestock nutrition to increase animal disease resistance,” said Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Representative to Zimbabwe in his remarks presented on his behalf by FAO Project Coordinator Felistas Ndhlovu, during the commissioning of the equipment.

Implementation of this project is anchored on three interventions: 1) actions to control livestock disease outbreaks for the prevention of livelihood assets; 2) enhanced climate risk proofing through promotion of technologies that improve animal nutrition and productivity and drought risk mitigation and 3) an enhanced role of women in decision making and participation.

These interventions are designed to curtail the ongoing threat caused by disease outbreaks and provide long term, sustainable solutions to building resilience. Launched at the beginning of 2024 in the midst, and in anticipation of the impacts of the El Nino induced drought, the project is assisting farmers in realizing their potential into growing as a business and in augmenting the principle of Village Business Units (VBU’s) that is a principle initiated by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development in building resilience and to promote the mindset of farming as a business, leaving no one behind.

“We recognize livestock as an important source of livelihood and household income in Zimbabwe. This project aims to protect that livelihood and to improve the overall food security of Zimbabweans targeted through this program, said Amber Paulin, Director for USAID-BHA Zimbabwe during the commissioning of the equipment in Bulawayo.

The project is providing capacity building to farmers and government stakeholders on the operationalisation and maintenance of the equipment and infrastructure. Farmer Field Schools committees and Livestock Development Committees have been put in place to oversee and coordinate the sustainable use and maintenance of the equipment and infrastructure,” said Fortune Kachidza, FAO Livestock Specialist in Zimbabwe.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mukhunjulelwa Ndlovu, Deputy Director Matabeleland South province in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Service (ARDAS) acknowledged the funding from USAID-BHA in complementing government’s efforts towards combating the devastating effects of El Nino induced drought and livestock diseases. He further stated that government has launched Village Business Units, where livestock farmers should readily access support services to improve productivity, production and rural livelihoods.