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A consortium of non-governmental organisations have made delivery of high breed goats from Namibia in a bid to improve the country’s genetics and marketing of the small stock. A total of 224 goats, which comprised the Kalahari Red, Boer and Saneen breeds were delivered into the country from Namibia two weeks ago as part of the European Union funded Value Chain Alliance for Livestock Upgrading Empowerment (VALUE) project, which is run under the Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme (ZAGP). The four-year programme, which will end in 2023 is being implemented by Action Aid Zimbabwe as the lead organisation in partnership with COSV and Mercy Corps together with private sector livestock players namely Shamiso and Bradford farms in the pork value chain, Michview and Zvikomborero farms in the goat value chain. The programme is being undertaken in six provinces namely Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West. The aim of the project is to improve the capacity of smallholder farmers especially women and youths to improve their goat and pig breeds, production and productivity, access to viable markets and organisational efficiencies.  In an interview with Sunday News Business just after the arrival of the goats at Matopo Research Institute from Namibia, Michview technical manager, Mr Lindani Ncube said the programme will play a big part towards improving the commercialisation of goats in the country. “What we are basically doing is improving goat commercialisation in the country. As you have seen all along, people have not been commercialising the goat industry. So, we are coming in saying let’s pull our socks, let’s work together and improve goat farming as a business and you will notice that over 90 percent of the goats are kept by communal farmers, they are very few commercial farmers in this industry,” he said. Mr Ncube said the two integrators in the goat value chain namely Michview and Zvikomborero Farm are expected to cross-breed the goats from Namibia with indigenous breeds for improved genetics. Michview is undertaking the programme in six districts in the Matabeleland region namely Beitbridge, Matobo, Lupane, Nkayi, Binga and Gwanda with Zvikomborero Farm overseeing the programme in six districts from Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland provinces. “We got goats from Namibia, which are for the two integrators to breed. They will cross these goats with the local indigenous goats like the Matabele goats . . . so that we get a better breed. The offsprings are the ones we will be selling to farmers . . . it’s not that system of donating because if you donate something to someone every time, they don’t take ownership. Each district will be having what we call the Goat Improvement Centre (GIC),” he said. The setting up of the GICs is aimed at providing primary business support services including a demonstration farm offering hands-on training for goat farmers, a goat Breeding Service Unit in partnership with co-applicant integrators (Michview, Zvikomborero Farm, the Goat Breeders Association of Zimbabwe and Livestock Research Stations (Matopos, Grasslands, Henderson). “We have got our anchor farmers in these districts which were selected by Government departments, Agritex (Agricultural, Technical and Extension Services) and Veterinary. These 1 000 anchor farmers will cascade support to approximately 9 000 farmers giving a total of 10 000 farmers in 12 districts,” said Mr Ncube.  The programme would also see the establishment of 12 district-level Goat Producers Business Associations in the five provinces as well as two Goat Holding Centres at Grasslands and Matopos Research Institute for holding consolidated stocks of goats brought from district associations to enable abattoirs and supermarkets to buy goats in bulk. Source: Sunday News

LOCAL Agricultural company, Zvikomborero Farms Private Limited on Friday for the first time scooped a prestigious award, a grand champion award after emerging as the overall winner in the livestock sector at the at the Agricultural Show. The 109th Zimbabwe Agricultural Show that started on Monday, has been held at the Exhibition Park in Harare and it was officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday. Zvikomborero Farm managed to be the overall winner in the livestock sector that include cattle breeding, sheep breeding, goat breeding and piggery.  In an interview with Zim Morning Post, Zvikomborero Farms Chief Executive Officer, Devine Ndhlukula said she was humbled that her company for the first time managed to scoop the award after it has been going to top breeders since 1942. “This is the overall winner in the livestock sector meaning for all animals, beef cattle, the goats, sheep and piggery. “We are really humbled, because this trophy has been going to top breeders since 1942. So for us to be part of this little group of breeders that have done very well, we are very humble,” she said. Zvikomborero farm had chosen to concentrate on breeding local breeds like Tuli, Mashona and Boran due to the change in climate and most of their animals won first prizes. “Most of our animals were getting first prizes and grand champions on various breeds. “We won in Tuli, you know we have chosen to breed local breeds like Tuli, Mashona  and Boran,” said Ndhlukula. The circumstance around the winning of the grand champion according to Ndhlukula is hard work especially in the last five years. “I have been farming on that farm personally for the last 27 years. In the past five years we have been scaling up because the is a demand for good breeds of cattle in Zimbabwe. “We work with Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and they buy lots of cattle from us,” she said. Source: Zim Morning Post

Zvikomborero farm is located along Harare- Masvingo road in Chivhu. The farm is owned by a family who inherited it from their late grandfather. They have 500 hectares and rent other 700 hectares from nearest farms to make a total of 1200hectares. They have more than 500 cattle, 50 pigs, 10 000 layers, 800 goats and an inorganic vegetable garden. A visit to Zvikomborero farm on the 13th of May was worth visiting for me. What inspired me is that the owner of the farm is a woman and also her daughter with an Accounting background has managed to study and venture into the field within a period of one year. This ensured me that even though I am not from an Agricultural background, passion and commitment will eventually take me there. Success is not determined by gender or your background. Most women regard agricultural activities as dirty things which are mainly meant for men, however having a conversation with the project owner l found that Agriculture is not dirty but it’s actually gold worth billions of dollars. You will only have great impact in the economy of the country and influence when you are your own boss rather than working for other people. I was so inspired and am great excited that l would integrate my marketing experience with Agriculture, thus marketing my own products rather than promoting other people’s. The pigs, goats and layers attracted my attention due to the fact that you can have a lot of them in a small piece of land as well as short payback period unlike beef production. We have therefore noted the importance of diversifying into different projects and also value addition where the daughter of the farm owner told us that they make more money from selling using their own butcher rather than auctions and other sales you could have. The farm’s income base has increased from selling of meat to groups of students and farmers who visit the farm in search of knowledge. We also had the opportunity to learn about grasses to feed goats like Lucerne, star grass, katambora and how to manage them. Of great importance at the farm was biosecurity. They ensure safety for their animals and have adopted what they called SHEQ. Ø S for safety- here they make sure that both workers and animals are in a safe environment They always look if there are any hazards in the farm and work on how to avoid them. Ø H is for health- this includes animal health thus biosecurity is what they use most where they have wheel bath intended for vehicles to pass through and a foot and hand bath for the people. This is a way to reduce spread of diseases that people may bring into the farm from other areas. Ø E is for environment- they ensure that their environment is clean. They avoided litter around the farm to prevent animals from eating plastics and other litter. Ø Q is for Quality- all they do from caring for their animals, selling them and customer handling, they contribute to quality of their final product. Thus they make sure that they are doing their standard always. Zvikomborero farm is the best. They are excellent are committed to what they do. They gave me a positive mindset and a great appreciation of Agriculture. Other women are doing it, we can do it also. What it takes is passion and willingness to start small. Source: Linked In