A Review of Livestock Value Chain in Hwange , Binga and Mangwe Districts

1. A Review of Livestock Value Chain in Hwange, Binga and Mangwe Districts Dammika Carr (PhD) Livestock Production and Market Linkages Development dammicarr@hotmail.com

2. Context • CAFOD has been supporting local partners Caritas Bulawayo and Caritas Hwange through their general funds, PRP & Aus-Aid • Programmes; livelihoods including agriculture and livestock, WASH and social protection

3. Purpose of the Review • CAFOD is developing new livelihoods strategies & future livestock interventions • Review of knowledge and practices on livestock production and marketing in Hwange, Binga and Mangwe districts • Identify challenges & constraints for livestock sector • Analyse the cultural beliefs and attitudes towards livestock production and marketing • Future recommendations to improve livestock production and marketing

4. Approach • The analytical framework was livestock value chain • Consultation with key stakeholders; farmers, government (DVS,DLP, RDC, AGRITEX, DWL) & NGOs, private sector & institutes (FAO, ICRISAT) • Past and current livestock documents were compiled, reviewed and analysed • Data and information from individual farmer interviews, FGD (men & women; women only), farm visits and key informant interviews • Structured and semi-structured questionnaires were used • Crop/livestock farmers were randomly selected from very poor, poor and middle income households

5. Findings: Constraints Related Livestock Production 1) Feed & water: • Mainly rangeland grazing (Panicum spp., Aristida spp.) • Lack of knowledge on nutritional requirements of animals. Inadequate supply of energy & protein for animals • Poor availability of feed during the long dry winter season (June-October) • Mainly cereal crop residues (75% fibre & 3% protein), hence low feed intake, digestibility & microbial protein synthesis in rumen

6. Poor access & high cost of stock feed; goat fattening meal (15% protein) is 15$ per 50kg • Lack of knowledge and production of multi-purpose legume fodder crops (cowpea,Leucaena sp., etc., high CP 30%, low fibre 40%). Lack of grass production; bana & napier grass in communities • Poorly skilled and used hay & silage production, preservation and storage • Urea/ammonia treatment of CCR is not used in reviewed areas • Well fed animals are ‘healthier’ and more resistant to diseases. Hence less investment on health issues

7. Inadequate water recourses, long distance & long waiting time at water points

8. 2) Health & Diseases • Poor access to information on disease prevalence & management & to vet inputs (distance and high costs) • Weak extension support systems and infrastructure (dip tanks, no water resources) 3) Breeding & Husbandry • Poor animal genetics, small in size. • AI is not practised in cattle breeding • Low kidding/calving rates & low birth weights • High mortality, No housing/Poor housing • Uncontrolled mating, no culling, no selection of animals

9. Constraints Related LS Marketing • No organised markets & weak market systems (infrastructure, long distance & access to information) • High demand for meat but weak supply chain • Farm gate sales at low prices (15-20 USD/animal) • Poor quality & low weight of animals at sale time • High transaction cost for buyers • Poor business financing mechanisms (no livestock insurance, micro credit facilities in communities) • High levy charged by RDCs at auctions & coupled with lack of reinvestment into the sector • Lack of transparency at livestock auctions

10. Wild life and Livestock Conflict: • Elephants & predators destroying crop/livestock production • Diseases transmission among wild life & livestock (TB, brucellosis, FMD) • Gender Related issues: • Men headed households with larger flocks and better position to commercialize • Women headed HH often with smaller flocks (mainly goats & poultry), require special support in livestock production and marketing • Generally women are responsible for small livestock while men are for cattle in all decision making

11. Recommendations : • Set-up public-private sector led innovation platforms to strengthen relationships, develop a common vision, promote dialogue among stakeholders • Improve market driven livestock production & organize community based farmers groups • Promote input/output markets including livestock feed • Improve access to information, knowledge, training & skills on all areas of livestock production (FPS/demonstration plots) • Preserve and increase the productivity of rangelands • Facilitate farmers to intercrop cereal crops with multi-purpose legumes in CA & include in nutritional gardens • Encourage for cut & carry method: Accacia sp., Mopani leaves

12. Facilitate provision of locally available low-cost feed; by-products (sugar cane tops, molasses, maize & sorghum malt, cotton seed cake) • Improve knowledge & skills on livestock feeding technologies; urea/ammonia treatment, pen feeding, hay & silage process, preserve and storage technologies • Increase of purebred, crossbred, animals in communities, AI method for cattle, controlled mating & culling unproductive animals • Para-vet training & improve access to veterinary inputs through rural agro-dealer programmes • Capacity building of key value chain actors in proposal writing and resource mobilisation

13. Conclusions: • There is a great potential to improve livestock production & marketing • Need to implement integrated holistic approach considering the value chain actors, farmers’ interests, objectives, limitations & existing initiatives • Simple feeding solutions are essential to increase production • Improved feeding can be cost effective and provide quick returns • Separate interventions based on ownership of livestock; • Farmers with small flocks (to restock flocks) • Farmers with large flocks to commercialize production