Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
THE government is adopting measures to ensure livestock sector growth with a digitalised stock card being introduced to monitor the volume of the 5.7 million national herd.
The livestock industry continues to demonstrate immense potential to contribute significantly to the national economy, with projections positioning it as a possible US$2 billion industry.
To harness this potential, government recently rolled out a digitalised stock card.
The Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture Fisheries Water and Rural Development, Professor Obert Jiri said the development will improve the traceability of animals and guide policy decisions.
“We ordinarily had a physical stock card that farmers were keeping, but now we are digitalising it to ensure it aligns with modern standards. The new system allows for instant access, traceability, and deeper analysis. We are launching the same stock card but with enhanced features, including categorisation of livestock types owned by each farmer. This enables real-time data analysis and supports evidence-based policy formulation.”
Professor Jiri stressed the importance of nationwide adoption of the digital stock card, emphasising the role of accurate data in shaping the country’s economic and agricultural trajectory.
“It is critical every farmer has the card digitalised and every farmer must declare correctly on this stock card so we can analyse and make economic decisions for the betterment of our sector.”
According to the 2024 Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment Report, the country has a national herd of 5.7 million cattle, making it imperative to safeguard the sector and keep abreast with changes or developments in real-time.
