STAFF WRITER
MATABELELAND North Provincial Affairs minister Richard Moyo has said beef production remained an integral part of the province’s livelihood as it has the potential to boost livelihoods in the communities.
He said this while officially opening Mathambo Cattle Business Centre in Lupane District. The Mathambo Cattle Business Centre services such centres as Malunku, Gomoza, Dongamuzi, Jotsholo and Mkombo.
The Cattle Business Centre which was established under the Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme Beef Enterprise Strengthening and Transformation (ZAGP-BEST) funded by the European Union in partnership with the government of Zimbabwe.
“As you are aware, livestock production in Matabeleland is the primary source of livelihood for the majority of farmers. Beef production remains a part of our livelihood. The Government of Zimbabwe’s commitment to develop the beef value chain is demonstrated through promoting Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements such as the one, we are witnessing today.
“The ZAGP-BEST Project provides a unique collaborative partnership of institutions from the private sector, public sector, NGOs, Associates, and Research Institutions. This model is very impressive given the number of institutions that are involved in the action,” Moyo said.
He added: “I believe the launch of Mathambo Cattle Business Centre comes at the right time, in a good 2020/21 rainfall season where our cattle have not suffered much from drought. In the previous years, the district recorded a high number of cattle succumbing to drought-related poverty deaths. We lost a lot of good cattle, particularly breeding stock.”
Communities in Lupane were hit hard after they lost hundreds of cattle in the past few years owing to successive droughts. However the district remains with a high herd estimated to be around 110 000.
