Goat production and marketing: Baseline information for semi-arid Zimbabwe ® About ICRISAT The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is a non-profit, non-political organization that does innovative agricultural research and capacity building for sustainable development with a wide array of partners across the globe. ICRISAT’s mission is to help empower 600 million poor people to overcome hunger, poverty and a degraded environment in the dry tropics through better agriculture. ICRISAT belongs to the Alliance of Centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Contact Information ICRISAT-Patancheru Liaison Offi ce ICRISAT-Nairobi ICRISAT-Niamey (Headquarters) CG Centers Block (Regional hub ESA) (Regional hub WCA) Patancheru 502 324 NASC Complex PO Box 39063, Nairobi, Kenya BP 12404 Andhra Pradesh, India Dev Prakash Shastri Marg Tel +254 20 7224550 Niamey, Niger (Via Paris) Tel +91 40 30713071 New Delhi 110 012, India Fax +254 20 7224001 Tel +227 20722529, 20722725 Fax +91 40 30713074 Tel +91 11 32472306 to 08 [email protected] Fax +227 20734329 [email protected] Fax +91 11 25841294 [email protected] ICRISAT-Bamako ICRISAT-Bulawayo ICRISAT-Lilongwe ICRISAT-Maputo BP 320 Matopos Research Station Chitedze Agricultural Research c/o IIAM, Av. das FPLM No 2698 Bamako, Mali PO Box 776, Station Caixa Postal 1906 Tel +223 2223375 Bulawayo, Zimbabwe PO Box 1096 Maputo, Mozambique Fax +223 2228683 Tel +263 83 8311 to 15 Lilongwe, Malawi Tel +258 21 461657 [email protected] Fax +263 83 8253/8307 Tel +265 1 707297/071/067/057 Fax +258 21 461581 [email protected] Fax +265 1 707298 [email protected] [email protected] Visit us at www.icrisat.org Partner Organizations ® International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics 342-2007 CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK JJ342_2007CoverFinal.indd342_2007CoverFinal.indd 1 99/21/2007/21/2007 55:35:21:35:21 PPMM Citation: Homann S, van Rooyen A, Moyo T and Nengomasha Z. 2007. Goat production and marketing: Baseline information for semi-arid Zimbabwe. PO Box 776, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. 84 pp. Abstract The role of livestock in rural communities is changing rapidly. Goats are increasingly used to augment cash income and enhance food security, thus serving as an important component in household’s livelihood strategies, particularly in drought-prone areas. While much has been done to improve agricultural production in the small-scale sector, little is known and documented about the current state of goat production and marketing in the communal areas of Zimbabwe. This report aims to set a baseline of the current status of goat production and marketing in southwestern Zimbabwe. The report illustrates the main functions of goats. Basic statistics describe goat ownership patterns with regard to the socioeconomic profi les of goat keepers, and the responsibilities of different household members in day-to-day goat management and marketing. The current productivity of goat fl ocks and seasonal trends are illustrated, indicating major challenges that farmers face in goat production and marketing. The report then provides a detailed description of the current management practices and existing marketing systems, and illustrates differences between districts, proximity to markets, fl ock sizes, levels of education and gender. Goat mortality has been found to be the most important constraint. Farmers with few goats are unable to sustain their fl ocks, whereas those with larger fl ocks do not realize the potential benefi ts from goats due to high mortality rates. Poor access to animal health support, dry season feed shortages and inadequate housing are the most important immediate factors contributing to high mortalities and can generally be ascribed to a lack of information and poor service structures, both resulting from limited support given to the small stock sector by government and NGO support services. The study also shows that although many farmers attempt to sell goats, markets are underdeveloped, infrastructure is inadequate and market information is not readily available. This results in poor confi dence in markets, high transaction costs and low prices for goats. It is hypothesized that improved market access will act as an incentive for farmers to invest more in goat production. Market development is thus singled out as the next important step in further developing the goat industry in Zimbabwe. Practical options to enhance the contribution of goats to food security and income growth are discussed, and priority interventions are recommended to service providers, development agents and policymakers in Zimbabwe. Copyright© 2007 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), 2007. All rights reserved. ICRISAT holds the copyright to its publications, but these can be shared and duplicated for non-commercial purposes. Permission to make digital or hard copies of part(s) or all of any publication for non-commercial use is hereby granted as long as ICRISAT is properly cited. For any clarifi cation, please contact the Director of Communication at [email protected]. ICRISAT’s name and logo are registered trademarks and may not be used without permission. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ICRISAT. The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of ICRISAT concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Where trade names are used this does not constitute endorsement of or discrimination against any product by ICRISAT. CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK JJ342_2007CoverFinal.indd342_2007CoverFinal.indd 2 99/21/2007/21/2007 55:35:37:35:37 PPMM Goat production and marketing: Baseline information for semi-arid Zimbabwe Authors Sabine Homann, André van Rooyen, Thinah Moyo and Zivayi Nengomasha Contributing Authors Darlington Sarupinda, Trinity Senda and Suffi cient Nkomo ® International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics Matopos Research Station, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe 2007 JJ342342_2 2007GoatproductionFinal.indd007GoatproductionFinal.indd i 99/21/2007/21/2007 3 3:33:35:33:35 P PMM About the authors Sabine Homann Post-Doctoral Scientist, ICRISAT André van Rooyen Scientist, ICRISAT Thinah Moyo Former Scientifi c Offi cer, ICRISAT Zivayi Nengomasha Former Principal Research Offi cer, Department of Agricultural Research and Extension, Matopos Research Station About the contributing authors Darlington Sarupinda Advisor, Economic Development, Netherlands Development Organization Trinity Senda Research Offi cer, Department of Agricultural Research and Extension, Matopos Research Station Suffi cient Nkomo Former Livestock Specialist, Department of Livestock Production and Development Acknowledgements This study was undertaken with facilitation and fi nancial support from the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), Department of Agricultural Research and Extension, Matopos Research Station (AREX/MRS), Department of Livestock Production and Development (LPD), the Desert Margins Program (DMP), and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). Sabine Homann is a Post-Doctoral Scientist funded through the German Post Doc Program (BMZ/GTZ). The authors are grateful for the assistance and collaboration of livestock keepers, local authorities and government support services in the six districts. We appreciate the engagement of enumerators employed by ICRISAT, LPD and AREX/MRS for data collection and processing. We would like to appreciate the support and major contributions made by the following: Joseph Sikosana (AREX/MRS Head of Station), Adolf B. Dube (LPD Provincial Head), Nicholas Nyathi (SNV Senior Advisor Economic Development), Viola Maphosa (former LPD Small Stock Specialist), Priviledge Ncube (LPD Small Stock Specialist), Andrew Sibanda (ICRISAT Scientifi c Offi cer), Givious Sisito (AREX/MRS Biometrician) as well as David Rohrbach (former ICRISAT Country Representative). Thanks for editing the fi nal report goes to Swathi Sridharan (ICRISAT Editor). JJ342342_2 2007GoatproductionFinal.indd007GoatproductionFinal.indd i iii 99/21/2007/21/2007 3 3:33:36:33:36 P PMM Contents Foreword ...................................................................................................................................v 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 2. Research approach ............................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Research sites ................................................................................................................ 3 2.2 Methods ........................................................................................................................ 7 3. Findings of the study .......................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Socioeconomic household characteristics ..................................................................... 11 3.1.1 Farmers’ reasons for keeping goats ....................................................................