Zimpapers Logo

Lawrence Chitumba Mash Central Correspondent
Chicken rearing is now one of the critical components of Command Livestock as Government angles to uplift people’s lives, Mashonaland Central crops and livestock officer Mr Stancilae Tapererwa has said.

Speaking at a field day for Command Agriculture maize crop at Mr More Chirema’s homestead at Retreat Farm in Bindura last Friday, which was hosted by Klein Karoo Seed Marketing Zimbabwe Limited, Mr Tapererwa said seed companies should help complement Government programmes.

“Government has introduced another economic initiative under the banner of Command Agriculture, which is Command Broiler and Mashonaland Central is among the three provinces chosen to kick-start the programme being spread to other provinces,” he said.

“The province has chosen three districts to begin with, which are Mazowe, Shamva and Bindura. We want to start with areas which are within the radius of 80km from Harare.

“Longer distances may affect the transportation of the broilers to identified abattoirs.

“Seed companies should play a greater part in Command Agriculture activities as they have proved to be very effective in Government’s endeavour to see Command Agriculture being successful.”

Mr Chirema said anyone willing to participate in the Command Broiler programme should have constructed their own fowl runs.

Mr Tapererwa said after 38 to 42 days, the chickens should have matured and weigh between 1,8 and two kilogrammes.

They will be taken for slaughtering in Arcturus, where Government has already identified an abattoir to be used.

This will ensure accountability, as there are fears that allowing farmers to market their chickens will result in the side-marketing of the chickens and subsequent defaulting by farmers on repayments.

Separately, Mr Tapererwa also urged farmers to practise staggered planting so that they would not lose their crops, especially during the occasional mid-season drought.