GOVERNMENT FOSTERS ANIMAL HEALTH IN KATETE

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 – a process which occurs during the digestion of animals which produces methane. Methane emissions make up a significant contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which are responsible for global warming.

With regard to cattle in particular, various research states that grass is more difficult to digest than grain and hence encouraging small scale livestock farmers to adopt the growing of forage seed can mitigate the effects of climate change by providing feed that reduces methane emissions from cattle. But more importantly, forage seed is more likely to improve the nutrition and overall quality of the cattle.

In the Eastern province district of Katete, the government through the Enhanced Smallholder Livestock Investment Program (ESLIP) has trained some livestock farmers and contracted them to produce forage seed for re-distribution to other smallholder livestock farmers. One of the aims of ESLIP is to improve livestock production in Zambia; and in the long run enhance sustainable livestock production systems. 

Wilson Phiri is a smallholder livestock farmer who rears cows, goats, pigs and chickens. Out of his 11 hectare farm, he has allocated 3 hectares to planting forage seed. 

Through ESLIP, he has been trained in the production of Velvet bean, Buffalo grass, Rhodes grass, cow peas and pigeon peas.

“I first grew forage seed during the 2018/2019 farming season when ESLIP gave me seed pasture grass and legumes,” Wilson said.

Wilson is one of the two forage seed growers contracted by ESLIP in Katete. The agreement is that a proportion of seed is sold back to ESLIP for re-distribution to other smallholder farmers while some is kept for planting in the coming farming season. From this contract, Wilson has been able to generate an income while enhancing the nutrition and food supply of his livestock.

“Last farming season, I earned K35,000 on all the forage seed that I sold and I was able to buy a van to transport my other farm produce to the market “ Wilson said.

The second forage seed grower – Anderson Banda – attests to Wilson’s benefits. 

“ESLIP gave us 10kg cow peas and 20kg Velvet beans…From growing forage seed specifically Velvet beans and cow peas, I have appreciated how they have helped improve the soil on my farm….My cattle have become healthier and are fetching a higher price at the market,” Anderson said.

From the 6 bags of forage seed he sold back to ESLIP, he disclosed that he made K13,000 which he said helped him pay school fees for his children. 

“This farming season, I expected to harvest 4 bags of cow peas and 24 bags of Velvet beans,” Anderson said.

As part of its goal to improve forage seed production ESLIP  is targeted at farmers like Wilson and Anderson who are helping to facilitate the improvement of the nutrition of livestock and in turn overall quality of beef being produced.

The growing of forage seed is also a valuable alternative to free range grazing as it helps reduce disease prevalence in cattle according to Penias Phiri - the Katete District Livestock Technician.

Mr. Phiri explained that cattle that are left to wander especially in dambo areas in search of grazing areas are more susceptible to worms and tick borne diseases which affect their productivity.

“The tick [is] usually the source of tick borne diseases which are prevalent in Katete with the most deadly being the East Coast Fever…so ESLIP is doing disease control where it is sponsoring the immunization of East Coast Fever; then under fodder pastures the project has a component of fodder production  well as seed production,” he explained.

Mr. Phiri added that in the just-ended 2019/2020 farming season, 200 registered farmers were targeted to benefit from the pasture component of the ESLIP program while 2 seed growers from Katete were trained and contracted to produce forage seed.

“For the seed growers, they were empowered with seed…other than the seed they have received scales for weighing their seed and forage cutters… [While] these other farmers that we’re [re-distributing] the seed to, are basically growing the seed for their livestock,” he disclosed.

As such, through ESLIP, the government hopes to hopes to not only improve animal nutrition but also rangeland productivity to ensure that climate smart agricultural practices continue to be adopted by farmers.