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Fungai Lupande
Mash Central Bureau
The recent commissioning of the Goat Genetics and Artificial Insemination Centre at Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), which breeds exotic and indigenous goats demonstrates the importance of research that does not end in laboratories, but goes beyond to help support the development of the country’s livestock sector.

BUSE is now a shining model for churning out academic research that responds positively to the challenges facing thousands of smallholder livestock farmers.

The university has developed natural products and livestock drugs that can help cure the Newcastle disease, fungal ailments and fight the tick problem.

Smallholder farmers want innovative solutions that can enhance livestock productivity, which leads to improved livelihoods for local farmers.

They want to have quality breeds that could produce quality meat and milk. All this could boost their earnings from livestock sales.

Turning to the goat genetics and artificial insemination project, President Mnangagwa said the project was an important enabler in the implementation of the Presidential Livestock Inputs Support Programme and recovery plan.

“To this end, livestock drug availability and the development of affordable stock feeds, coupled with livestock husbandry practices will enable us to enhance the commercial value of our livestock,” he said. “The goat breeding project and attendant value addition interventions will go a long way towards ensuring broad-based empowerment, wealth creation and lifting millions out of poverty within our society. As such, the project must be deployed towards the realisation of robust and vibrant rural industry systems supported by livestock production and related development of modern animal handling facilities.”

The BUSE project is set to improve the breed and quality of rural and small scale farmers in the Mashonaland Central province and nation at large.

Greater emphasis will be on breed improvement through cross breeding and artificial insemination technologies.

The smallholder livestock production in the Dande, Mbire and Muzarabani districts is thriving.

Research shows that 80 percent of rural communities own goats and 97 percent of the national goat herd is owned by smallholder indigenous farmers.

Indigenous breeds are small in size and cross breeding with exotic breeds will increase the size and slaughter weight.

Improved goat breeds will enable farmers to earn more from goat sales thereby improving their livelihoods and food security.

Currently, young pure breed Kalahari Red and Boer bucks cost between US$500 and US$600 each.

BUSE is importing the pure breeds from Namibia and South Africa.

BUSE Vice Chancellor Professor Eddie Mwenje said artificial insemination technologies will be provided to the local communities to help them improve their breeds.

The university is also looking at exporting goat meat to the Middle East as it expands the project to generate revenue.

Dean of Agriculture Professor Innocent Wadzanayi Nyakudya said the goat breeding project will reduce inbreeding and the spread of reproductive diseases.

“It is envisaged that improved quality of local goat breeds will have a positive effect on people’s livelihoods through improving farmers’ income and food security,” he said.

“The goat breeding project is a people’s project because goats have the highest ownership among smallholder farmers in the major goat-producing areas like Muzarabani, where more than 80 percent households own goats.

“The project comprises of a research, and teaching and learning unit (RETELU) and a business development unit.

“The project addresses the food security-climate change nexus. Enhancing goat productivity improves food security and goat production itself is a climate change adaptation strategy.”

The project is at a 450 hectare BUSE Farm in Shamva District and key activities include research in goat genetics and health.

They are also doing collection, evaluation and cryopreservation of semen, oocytes and embryos from proven donors from the university farm. Also, maintenance of vibrant pure breed lines of Mashona, Matebele, Red Kalahari and Boer varieties.

The university provides training to other stakeholders including extension officers and farmers.

Prof Nyakudya said the project was targeting to build its goat breeding figure to 800, made up of the Boer, Kalahari Red, MaShona and Matabele pure breeds.

The project started in February 2020 and it now has a stock of 233 goats 13 pure breed bucks, 15 pure breed Boer and 205 local cross breed.

The university has dedicated laboratories for semen and embryo evaluation and preservation.

Prof Nyakudya said they need about US$100 000 to fully equip the laboratory at this centre which is now looking at establishing a multiplication and commercial units in Kanyemba, in the Zambezi valley.

“This is where superior breeds will be multiplied and sold to earn income for the university. The target is to have a minimum of 15 000 goats at the Kanyemba Farm and an initial investment of US$250 000 will be required for the Kanyemba Farm,” he said.

“To boost goat production, the university will work with out-producer farmers who will receive special training on goat production and keep an agreed herd of goats in various provinces in the country.

“These farmers will be linked to local and external markets by the university. Similarly, invitations will be extended to schools in major goat producing areas, where agriculture teachers will be trained in goat husbandry and artificial insemination.”

The university will also establish satellite artificial insemination centres at villages across the country.

Mashonaland Central province has 391 622 goats.

Indigenous breeds adapt to the environment in terms of both the climate and availability of food. They are resistant to diseases and they don’t require a lot of water.

However, they have a slow growth rate and a compromised carcass yield compared to exotic breeds like the Boer and Kalahari breeds.

Zimbabwe is aiming to achieve its vision of becoming an upper middle income economy by 2030 by also tapping into the Education 5.0 policy which requires all universities to launch outcomes-focused national development activities which can help make Zimbabwe’s economy competitive, modern and industrialised.

Universities are also expected to play a critical role in the realisation of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which will run from 2021 to 2025 anchored on devolution and decentralisation.