By Kuda Pembere and Nthokozo Gudu
With Zimbabwe’s cattle herd under threat from livestock diseases, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) availed to the tune of US$2.7 million an emergency project fund to fight these diseases.
Most common of the livestock diseases in Zimbabwe are tickbone diseases such as theileriosis better known as January Disease.
Officiating the event last week, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said the livestock sector is currently bedevilled with several challenges.
“The growth of the livestock sub-sector has been characterized by animal health challenges, low production and productivity over a long period of time as evidenced by low off take, low fertility, high mortality and morbidity, low carcass weight, poor quality and inability to effectively compete on export markets,” he said.
He commended their partners for coming up with this fund which complements government’s efforts in improving the livestock sector.
“The project dovetails well with the objectives and goals of the economic blueprint, National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), and is in keeping with the livestock growth plan, which was crafted to address the challenges bedevilling the livestock subsector,” Prof Jiri said. “As a ministry, however, we acknowledge the need for a high level of investment required to re-establish January disease and foot-and-mouth disease-free zone.”
For the past five years, at least 500 000 cattle succumbed to tick-borne diseases countrywide.
This prompted the Government to employ a cocktail of measures, including engaging private players and international organizations to sustainably grow and protect the national herd.
“During the 2022/2023 rainy season, January diseases cases and deahs rose significantly which forced the country to declare war against the disease. Since 2001, the country has expeirnced a series of Food and mouth disease outbreaks leading to increases in production losses and more significantly, the loss of lucrative local and international markets,
FAO head of resilience Mr Alexander Carr said the facility will support the Government’s efforts in the country’s 11 districts.
“USAID has made available a total of US$2,2 million fund, which will run until December 2024.
“This will be complemented by the FAO Technical Cooperation project to the tune of US$500 000. This will be used across eight districts prone to Theileriosis and FMD,” said Mr Carr.
FAO subregional coordinator for Southern Africa and representative in Zimbabwe Dr Patrice Talla Takoukam said this project came at the nick of time demonstrating the importance of collaboration in livestock sector.
“Today is an important day for the livestock sector in Zimbabwe as we officially launch this project in support of livestock development. With good collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe and support from USAID, FAO is positioned to contribute to the improvement of animal health to make livestock more productive and sustainable while achieving optimal health for all,” said Patrice Talla Takoukam.
Rehabilitating dip tanks and building dams to supply water to them are two aspects of the project. Other improvements include training staff on laboratory diagnosis sampling and distributing real-time disease reporting applications to key veterinary personnel, which will increase the capacity for disease surveillance, prevention, early warning, and quick response in the event of an outbreak.
The Department of Veterinary Services of the Government of Zimbabwe will take the lead in educating the public about proper livestock management and providing extension services with training on disease detection, prevention, and control.
With only 5.6 million cattle, the national herd is inadequate for a nation the size of Zimbabwe. To attain an 11 million herd by 2030, the nation needs to expand its pedigree breeding herd to at least one million cattle.
