HARARE
–
The
Food
and
Agriculture
Organization
of
the
United
Nations
(FAO)
with
financial
support
from
the
United
States
Agency
for
International
Development-Bureau
for
Humanitarian
Assistance
(USAID-BHA)
commissioned
farming
equipment
aimed
at
increasing
the
capacity
of
farmers
to
mass
process
homegrown
animal
stock
feeds
while
improving
household
resilience
to
‘shocks’
by
protecting
their
livestock
assets.
The
process
of
commissioning
the
equipment
took
place
in
Bulawayo.
The
commissioning
is
part
of
the
“Mitigating
the
impact
of
livestock
diseases
in
Zimbabwe”
project,
which
is
funded
to
the
tune
of
USD2,2
million
by
USAID-BHA,
where
40
mobile
diesel
operated
chaff
cutters
were
commissioned.
Furthermore,
the
project
is
rehabilitating
60
dip
tanks,
coupled
with
drilling
of
20
boreholes
and
construction
of
one-hectare
drip
irrigated
gardens
around
the
boreholes.
“This
equipment
and
infrastructure
are
expected
to
strengthen
responses
to
control
livestock
disease
outbreaks,
thereby
protecting
livelihood
assets,
and
promoting
improved
livestock
nutrition
to
increase
animal
disease
resistance,”
said
Patrice
Talla,
FAO
Subregional
Coordinator
for
Southern
Africa
and
Representative
to
Zimbabwe
in
his
remarks
presented
on
his
behalf
by
FAO
Project
Coordinator
Felistas
Ndhlovu,
during
the
commissioning
of
the
equipment.
Implementation
of
this
project
is
anchored
on
three
interventions:
1)
actions
to
control
livestock
disease
outbreaks
for
the
prevention
of
livelihood
assets;
2)
enhanced
climate
risk
proofing
through
promotion
of
technologies
that
improve
animal
nutrition
and
productivity
and
drought
risk
mitigation
and
3)
an
enhanced
role
of
women
in
decision
making
and
participation.
These
interventions
are
designed
to
curtail
the
ongoing
threat
caused
by
disease
outbreaks
and
provide
long
term,
sustainable
solutions
to
building
resilience.
Launched
at
the
beginning
of
2024
in
the
midst,
and
in
anticipation
of
the
impacts
of
the
El
Nino
induced
drought,
the
project
is
assisting
farmers
in
realizing
their
potential
into
growing
as
a
business
and
in
augmenting
the
principle
of
Village
Business
Units
(VBU’s)
that
is
a
principle
initiated
by
the
Ministry
of
Lands,
Agriculture,
Fisheries,
Water
and
Rural
Development
in
building
resilience
and
to
promote
the
mindset
of
farming
as
a
business,
leaving
no
one
behind.
“We
recognize
livestock
as
an
important
source
of
livelihood
and
household
income
in
Zimbabwe.
This
project
aims
to
protect
that
livelihood
and
to
improve
the
overall
food
security
of
Zimbabweans
targeted
through
this
program,
said
Amber
Paulin,
Director
for
USAID-BHA
Zimbabwe
during
the
commissioning
of
the
equipment
in
Bulawayo.
The
project
is
providing
capacity
building
to
farmers
and
government
stakeholders
on
the
operationalisation
and
maintenance
of
the
equipment
and
infrastructure.
Farmer
Field
Schools
committees
and
Livestock
Development
Committees
have
been
put
in
place
to
oversee
and
coordinate
the
sustainable
use
and
maintenance
of
the
equipment
and
infrastructure,”
said
Fortune
Kachidza,
FAO
Livestock
Specialist
in
Zimbabwe.
Speaking
at
the
handover
ceremony,
Mukhunjulelwa
Ndlovu,
Deputy
Director
Matabeleland
South
province
in
the
Department
of
Agriculture
and
Rural
Development
Advisory
Service
(ARDAS)
acknowledged
the
funding
from
USAID-BHA
in
complementing
government’s
efforts
towards
combating
the
devastating
effects
of
El
Nino
induced
drought
and
livestock
diseases.
He
further
stated
that
government
has
launched
Village
Business
Units,
where
livestock
farmers
should
readily
access
support
services
to
improve
productivity,
production
and
rural
livelihoods.