The Herald, May 26, 1981

ABOUT 120 peasant farmers are to be settled on two cooperative farms by Colcom, in association with Devag and the Pig Industry Board, with the aim of boosting pig production in Zimbabwe.

The general manager of Colcom, Mr Mike Southhall, said the pilot schemes would be in Mashonaland and Matabeleland.

“Each will involve about 60-small-scale farmers on a co-operative basis and each scheme will produce about 1 000 pigs per year.

“International development and financial agencies have expressed an interest in the schemes and will be watching their progress closely,” he said.

Colcom expected an increase in demand for fresh pork and processed pork products, locally and abroad.

If the schemes are successful, they would help fill a need in the company’s future marketing requirements, he added.

It is planned that the schemes will operate through a combination of on-farm production and the use of a central station for each cooperative.

The peasant farmers will also serve as a demonstration and training centres for the members of the cooperatives.

“Investigations have shown that farmers in the rural areas have faced many difficulties over matters such as disease control in their herds, transport, water, and the availability of feed and suitable breeding stock.

“The pilot schemes will be designed to overcome these problems. At the same time an assessment will be made of the economics and viability of pig production on a co-operative basis before embarking on the projects on a wider and larger scale,” Mr Southall said.

The Duroc breed of pig are expected to be used in the schemes because this breed is favoured as an outdoor animal, is a prolific breeder, has a good conformation and is a 

LESSONS FOR TODAY 

 Farming is a business that is capital intensive hence producers, especially small-scale need a lot of support, especially from the private sector, who are the consumers of their products.

 Contract farming is increasingly playing a huge role in expanding farming operations in the country. Notable gains have been recorded in several areas such as tobacco production where the bulk of tobacco produced in the country is now under contract farming.

 Although contract farming is the way to go in terms of financing agricultural activities, there is need to ensure that such arrangements result in a win-win situation for all parties involved for them to be sustainable.

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