Story by Mercy Bofu
THE Government has intensified efforts to boost livestock production in rural communities by equipping communal farmers with skills to produce nutritional livestock feed, including urea molasses blocks and urea-treated stover.
Mr Charles Ndoro aged 66, is among communal livestock farmers in the Heathcote area of Masvingo who are receiving training from government through agriculture extension officers to produce urea molasses blocks and urea treatment of stover for livestock feed ahead of the summer cropping season.
Mr Ndoro, who has a herd of 23 cattle, says they are taking advantage of the available crop stocks and biomass to prepare supplementary feed.
“For quite some time we have been struggling as communal farmers to feed our cattle especially during the summer season, however, this time the government has supported us for their cattle ahead of the summer season,” he said.
Other farmers applauded the government for the training, pledging to replicate the programme at their homesteads.
“Due to the El Niño-induced drought in the past seasons, we lost a number of cattle, and with this programme we are looking forward to an improved herd. The government has availed urea fertiliser so that it becomes easy for us to produce urea molasses blocks and urea treatment of stova,
“These trainings are very important as they inform us on how to improve our herd. As we go back home we are also going to train others and extension officers will be monitoring us.”
Government’s thrust is to improve the quality of the national herd, hence the adoption and implementation of the Livestock Recovery and Growth Plan.
“As the government, through our agriculture extension officers, we have moved in to train our livestock farmers in producing supplementary feed. We have also availed urea fertilizer, which they can use to produce these urea molasses blocks and urea treatment of stover, which is very nutritious, and through this, we are assured of a healthy herd,” noted Acting Chief Director for Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services, Leonard Munamati.
To ensure an improved national herd, the government has adopted a number of programmes that include the Presidential heifer scheme, rehabilitation of dip tanks across the country, borehole sinking programme and distribution of tick grease, among others.
