Dr S. S. MlamboDeputy Secretary for Lands, Agriculture and Water Development, Zimbabwe
Mr Chairman, Dr J Walsh, Director General, ILCA, Dr M L Kyomo, Director, SACCAR, Leaders of NARS, Leaders of Livestock Development, and Distinguished Participants.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the workshop on the 'Future of Livestock Industries in Eastern and southern Africa', which has been organised by the International Livestock Centre for Africa. I would like to particularly recognise the presence of eminent scientists from Botswana, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Switzerland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. I notice that many of these scientists will be reporting on their research findings on various aspects of livestock. I would like to welcome you all and express my hope that your research findings and recommendations will be studied, examined and put to use. You will identify emerging problems that require further investigation for the furtherance of the livestock development in the region.
Mr Chairman, agriculture is one of the most strategic industries and it forms the mainstay of the economy in Zimbabwe and other Third World countries. My Government's agricultural policy is therefore designed to stimulate and sustain production to meet the needs of the country. The policy has six major objectives, as outlined in the National Development Plan.
The first objective is to produce sufficient food to sustain food security, not just at the national level but also for the individual household. Zimbabwe's population growth rate is estimated at 3% per annum. To be able to meet the nutritional requirements of this fast-growing population, our agricultural output should increase by more than 3% per annum.
The second objective is to increase employment opportunities in agriculture and related agro-based industries. This is achieved through employment in direct agricultural production and provision of inputs and marketing facilities for the sector. It is estimated that over 30% of the national labour force and over 75% of rural farmers are gainfully employed in industries related to agriculture.
The third objective is to generate foreign currency earnings that can be used to pay for essential imports. The Government encourages the diversification of the agricultural base with a view to increasing exports.
The fourth objective is to produce and supply the raw materials required by agricultural processing industries. For example, cotton provides lint for the textile industry, cottonseed cake for the livestock feeds industry and oil for human consumption. Hides are a by-product of livestock required by the tannery industry for the production of shoes, bags etc.
The fifth objective is to increase the incomes and living standards of farmers and their families, particularly in the small-farm sector. This is achieved through producer prices for certain cash crops that provide farmers with an incentive to grow and market the crops.
The sixth and final objective is to generate substantial growth in the total output from the agricultural sector, as this will result in increased benefits to the economy.
The Government's agricultural policy thus aims at increasing the economic and social well-being of the small-farm sector. The major aim of Government efforts is to transform this sector from subsistence to commercial production. This goal has been tackled through placing greater emphasis on meeting the needs of this sector. This has included restructuring credit and marketing facilities, providing research and extension services, land reforms and various other measures designed to motivate farmers and help sustain the vital agricultural industry.
The Government recognised that, to stimulate agricultural production and improve the welfare of the people, there is need to restructure research services and link them with extension services. Prior to 1980 the research and extension services were exclusively directed towards solving the needs of the large-scale commercial farmers, with no clear-cut policy on the appropriateness of the available technologies to the small-farm sector.
At independence, it was therefore found necessary to broaden the mandates of the departments of Research and Specialist Services and Veterinary Services in order to produce cost-effective appropriate technologies that would increase productivity in the small-farm sector while maintaining production in the large-scale commercial sector. To achieve this goal there was a need to develop new strategies.
First, the Government launched the Small-Scale Dairy Development Programme (DDP) in 1982. This programme seeks to help small-scale and communal farmers develop the infrastructure and management capability needed to run dairy enterprises. DDP aims to produce and process milk and to encourage farmers to consume the milk in their area, with the ultimate objective of improving the nutrition and increasing the income of small farmers. To date, six successful projects now produce 38,000 to 98,000 kg of milk per year. Over the last 10 years, we have learnt a lot about the constraints that the farmers face in this subsector.
Secondly, emphasis has shifted towards research on small ruminants. The rationale is that goats and sheep play an important role in the socio-economic well-being of rural people. Research is focusing on reproduction, nutrition and breeds to ensure that small farmers are given sound technologies that solve their problems.
Thirdly, the Cold Storage Commission now has slaughter facilities for goats in Bulawayo. This ensures that farmers have a guaranteed market for their produce.
Fourthly, there are numerous trials that are being carried out on cattle nutrition. The results are not yet conclusive.
Fifthly, an ambitious project has been proposed on the conservation of genetic material for indigenous cattle breeds. The Government has noted with concern the deterioration of the quality of the indigenous breeds. This project therefore seeks to create an open nucleus herd that will give all farmers access to cattle of proven genetic vigour. To date, however, financial resources have not been secured for the project.
Generally, however, research on crop production tends to dominate livestock research. Cost-effective and relevant technology for use by farmers is scarce. Yet livestock play an important role in smallholder agriculture, providing draft power, manure, milk, meat and income. Cattle owners produce more crops than farmers who do not own cattle. Thus research on crops must go hand in hand with that on livestock because these enterprises are related.
Mr Chairman, this workshop is timely as it is being held at a time when the socio-economic scenario in sub-Saharan Africa is characterised by high population growth rates, low productivity, poverty and poor living conditions. There is an urgent need to change for the better. The per capita productivity of agriculture (including the livestock sector) is declining, or at best stagnant. There are several reasons for this, including unfavourable climatic conditions, lack or high cost of inputs and lack of technology for use by farmers. However, we cannot ignore the agricultural sector because it is still the backbone of the economy. In most countries livestock production remains in the traditional sector, i.e. On small-scale farms and in the communal areas where little has changed in the last two decades. On the brighter side, there are pockets of exemplary and successful 1 livestock research and development programmes in the region that show the potential of the livestock sector. Information on successful cases is rare as workers tend to work in isolation.
The workshop will review a number of promising research and development programmes, identifying their attributes and factors constraining them. In addition, case studies will provide an opportunity for exchanging information and experiences from a variety of ecozones, socio-economic environments and institutional structures. From the programme I deduce that we have participants from Botswana, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Switzerland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is indeed a large pool of countries. The mix of researchers and extension workers will also give an opportunity for transfer of technology and feedback on the appropriateness of the technologies under review.
Mr Chairman, my Government acknowledges and appreciates the tremendous support it receives from ILCA in upgrading the technical and professional qualities of our scientists. Since the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between ILCA and the Government of Zimbabwe in 1989, many scientists have undergone training in animal production here in the country and elsewhere. ILCA has provided the necessary technical and financial support. What our Government would like to see is more collaboration and coordination between ILCA and the national agriculture research systems in mounting training and research programmes. This workshop is another testimony of the extent to which ILCA is committed to helping the region. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you the best in your deliberations and hope that your recommendations will be put to use.
Mr. Chairman, it is now my great honour to declare this workshop officially open.
Thank you.
