Story by Tafara Chikumira
A Kwekwe-based dairy farmer is making a mark in the country’s agrarian revolution, producing 12 000 litres of milk per day.
Mr Delan Coetzee, who currently milks approximately 500 cows daily, plans to grow his herd to 700 by year-end, focusing on local breeding strategies after finding imported cattle from South Africa unsustainable.
“We imported some breeds from South Africa in 2023. However, we have since realised that it was not viable. As a result we have started local breeding which is yielding positive results. We are currently milking 500 cows and hope to increase the number to 700 by the end of the year. At the moment, each cow is producing around 27 litres of milk per day, and with the feeding scheme we are using, we aim to increase that to 29 litres per cow daily. On average, we are producing 13 000 litres a day and targeting an increase to 15 000 litres per day,” he said.
The dairy farm recently drew diplomatic attention, with Nicaraguan Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Nadeska Cuthbert, touring the facility and pledging support for Zimbabwe’s agricultural development.
“We emphasise the importance of continued cooperation between Zimbabwe and Nicaragua, particularly in the genetic improvement of livestock breeds and the exchange of knowledge in cold chain system management. Our shared experiences and mutual aspiration to achieve food security and sovereignty provide a strong foundation for South-to-South cooperation,” he said.
The government praised the ambassador’s visit as a reflection of deepening bilateral relations and alignment with the country’s foreign policy thrust of engagement and re-engagement.
“Your Excellency, the aforementioned historic understanding aligns with the foreign policy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa on engagement and re-engagement with friendly nations. The Midlands Province is grateful for this tour which reinforces the new dispensation’s commitment to modernising and industrialising the economy in pursuit of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society by 2030,” Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Owen Ncube said.
Zimbabwe and Nicaragua signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March, following the opening of the Embassy of Nicaragua in Harare in 2024, solidifying a new chapter in agricultural and economic diplomacy.
