Zimbabwe: Government will support poultry farming
Zimbabwe’s Government has stated that it will continue supporting small holder poultry farmers as part of efforts to consolidate their contribution to the growth of the agriculture industry.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Mr Ngoni Masoka said the poultry industry was rapidly growing. In a speech read on his behalf by principal director in the livestock department, Mr William Shereni, during a small-scale producer’s conference organised by Zimbabwe Women and Small Livestock Farmers Trust, Mr Masoka said the poultry industry was one of the fastest growing agro sectors in the country. He said the industry targeted to produce 72 million-day-old chicks compared to 52 million chicks produced last year. Government, said Mr Masoka, was prepared to intensify efforts towards helping small-holder farmers achieve high production levels.
“The government is aware of the problems of small-scale producers when it comes to exploitative tendencies under contract farming arrangements,” said Masoka. “With the establishment of the Agricultural Marketing Authority, the government will ensure that contractual agreements are balanced to avoid exploitation.
As a ministry, we believe that the development of small-scale producers can result in increased productivity, improved incomes and employment creation, as well as food and nutrition security.”
