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Anderson Banda - one of the two forage seed growers in Katete |
In 2012, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (then the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock) projected that the demand for beef would increase from 120,000 metric tons in 2012, to 600,000 by 2027 (www.ageconsearch.umn.edu ) It was further projected that with the then prevailing production and marketing conditions, there would be a supply gap of approximately 320,000 metric tons. As such it was inevitable that strategies be established to enable small scale cattle farmers step-up and meet the demand deficit which was identified.
Some of the objectives would include improving the quality of cattle being reared so as to assure quality beef and; also to rear these cattle in a climate-friendly manner.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 42% of livestock contributions to climate change is from enteric fermentation
