The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata : Farming Reporter
GOVERNMENT has acquired 400 heifers to be distributed throughout the country.
| Addressing dairy farmers in Marange on Tuesday during a tour of the Marange Dairy Farmers Association project, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Cde Paddy Zhanda, said milk production dropped from a peak of 256 million litres a year to the current 58 million litres. |
“We want to change the template that we are using to do small-scale dairy farming in the country. We have set up the Dairy Revitalisation Fund and as we speak we have 400 heifers that will be given to small-scale dairy farmers across the country.
We are not going to give these cows to new farmers, but to dedicated farmers who have shown that they have the zeal to work hard and prosper. The heifers will be sold at very reasonable rates to cater for our costs only.
“We want the farmers to own the projects and they should not be given inputs for free. If people are given projects for free they will not take good care of them. If farmers are meant to put something into the projects that will ensure complete ownership and sustenance,” he said.
Cde Zhanda said Government would soon set up dairy boutiques at milk collection centres dotted across the country to boost production.
He said the boutiques would result in small-scale farmers pooling their resources together to form a unit that would enable them to enjoy economies of scale.
He said milk production dropped drastically in recent years and Government was committed to resuscitating local production to minimize imports that are bleeding the economy.
“Dairy farming is a volume business which means that our small scale farmers should produce more milk in order to make a profit and be viable.
To this end, we are going to form dairy boutiques at all milk collections points in the country. This means that instead of keeping a few heifers at their individual farms which is expensive, we want the small scale farmers to form big units. They pool their resources together and do their business from one point.
“From those points, they can access professional advice from the ministry easily and they also benefit from economies of scale. All this requires farmers who are disciplined and who are determined to work around the clock,” he said.
Speaking at the same occasion, Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr Christopher Mushohwe, said the dairy projects would improve lives of communities.
He said the Marange Dairy Farmers Association, with a membership of 276 families, would be a game changer if it receives enough support from Government and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Dr Mushohwe urged the farmers to stay focused and not to be confused by politicians who want to derail their project.
“The Marange Diary Farmers Association started in 2001 with a total 0f 276 families. Midway the project was ruined by politics, but it stood on its feet again.
In April this year the project got a major boost from Plan International which donated a total of 20 heifers that were given to individual farmers.
“We moved around to check on the cows and they are being taken good care of. We want this project to be a role model for new-age dairy production. Most of our milk products are being imported and we urge the farmers here to fill in that gap. We must emulate what the First Family is doing in Mazowe at Gushungo Farm,” he said.
Plan International manager, Mr Dahwa said the NGO would assist farmers to revolutionise dairy farming in Marange.
He said the farmers, who were given the 20 heifers, have shown resilience and commitment to develop their projects and eke out a decent living from keeping dairy cows.
