Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program

Zimbabwe Livestock

Development Program Quarterly Report #2 FY2020

January – March 2020

Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program | Quarterly Report #2 FY2020

Prepared by Fintrac Inc. 2

Fintrac Inc.

www.fintrac.com

[email protected]

US Virgin Islands

3077 Kronprindsens Gade 72

St. Thomas, USVI 00802

Tel: (340) 776-7600

Fax: (340) 776-7601

Washington, DC

1400 16th Street, NW,

Suite 400

Washington, D.C. 20036 USA

Tel: (202) 462-8475

Fax: (202) 462-8478

Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program (FTFZ-LD)

Suite 1, West Block

Westgate Shopping Complex

Westgate, Harare

Zimbabwe

Tel: +263 242 309050

[email protected]

www.fintrac.com

Cover Photo:

Village milk aggregators from Chipinge, Manicaland, prepare to make their first milk delivery at Dairibord

Zimbabwe Limited’s local depot.

All Photos by Fintrac Inc.

April 2020

This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International

Development (USAID). It was prepared by Fintrac Inc. under contract AID-613-C-15-00001 with

USAID/Zimbabwe.

http://www.fintrac.com/



CONTENTS ACRONYM LIST ................................................................................................................................................... 4

FOREWORD ............................................................................................................................................................ 5

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................... 6

2. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................... 10

3. ACTIVITIES ...................................................................................................................................................... 13

3.1 BENEFICIARIES ........................................................................................................... 14

3.2 INCREMENTAL SALES............................................................................................... 15

3.3 INCREASING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY ........... 21

3.4 IMPROVING NUTRITION AND HYGIENE STATUS............................................. 35

3.5 IMPROVING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS ........................... 40

4. ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................................................. 42

4.1 TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ......................................................... 43

4.2 EMMP ............................................................................................................................. 43

5. GENDER ............................................................................................................................................................. 47

5.1 WOMEN LEADERS IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION ............................................. 47

5.2 WOMEN AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

TRAINING .......................................................................................................................... 48

5.3 INVESTMENT AND OWNERSHIP OF PRODUCTIVE ASSETS .......................... 49

5.4 ACCESS TO FINANCE ............................................................................................... 51

5.5 ACCESS TO MARKETS .............................................................................................. 51

5.6 AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ...................................................................................... 51

6. LESSONS LEARNED ................................................................................................................................... 53

7. CHALLENGES ................................................................................................................................................. 54

8. ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT QUARTER .......................................................................... 55

9. FINANCIAL SUMMARY............................................................................................................................. 56

ANNEX 1: SNAPSHOTS ................................................................................................................................ 57

ANNEX 2. FEED THE FUTURE ZIMBABWE LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAM – ILLUSTRATIVE INDICATORS ...................................................................................... 60

ANNEX 3. LIST OF BUYERS ....................................................................................................................... 66

ANNEX 4. LIST OF INPUT SUPPLIERS ................................................................................................ 68

ANNEX 5: GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS ............................................. 70



ACRONYM LIST

AGRITEX Department of Agricultural, Technical, and Extension Services

AHS Annual Household Survey

AI Artificial Insemination

BDS Business Development Services

CA Contagious Abortion

CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy

CIRIS Client Impact and Results Information System

CNFA Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture

COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease of 2019

DLPD Division of Livestock Production and Development

DVS Department of Veterinary Services

EMMP Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan

FTF Feed the Future

FY Fiscal Year

GAPs Good Agricultural Practice(s)

GAHPs Good Animal Husbandry Practice(s)

GBV Gender-based Violence

GUC Grants Under Contract

IRs Intermediate Results

ISAL Internal Savings and Lending

IWD International Women’s Day

LOP Life of Program

MCC Milk Collection Center

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MFI Microfinance Institution

MSMEs Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

NGO Nongovernmental Organization

NRM Natural Resource Management

NRs Natural / Agro-ecological Regions

PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan

PPE Personal Protective Equipment

PPLS Production Productivity Lending and Savings groups

SSC Small-Scale Commercial

SVP Suburban Veterinary Practice

USAID United States Agency for International Development

WASH Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

ZADF Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers

ZRP Zimbabwe Republic Police



FOREWORD The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program began June 23, 2015 and runs

through October 31, 2020. The overall goal of the activity is to provide inclusive economic

opportunities to smallholder farmers and other actors along the beef and dairy value chains by

sustainably increasing their production, productivity, and incomes to enhance food security,

nutrition, and poverty reduction.

The program focuses on commercializing low-income and food-insecure households in agro-

ecological regions (NRs) III, IV, and V with the potential to move from subsistence to small-scale

commercial beef and dairy farmers through the promotion and adoption of good agricultural and

animal husbandry practices, marketing, hygiene and nutritional practices, and building market linkages

that not only generate income but also increase farmers’ overall resilience, food security, and

improved nutritional and hygienic status. In addition, the program aims to increase the institutional

and organizational capacity of local organizations working with the program.

The program is building demand for smallholder-produced beef and dairy products by focusing on

quality, continuity of supply, and cost competitiveness. The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock

Development program also collaborates with the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Crop Development

program and other donor programs to provide specialized technical support to produce nutritious

crops that sustainably increase the availability of these foods among beneficiary households.

Fintrac implements the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program in collaboration

with local private companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Division of Livestock

Production and Development (DLPD), the Department of Agricultural Technical and Extension

Services (AGRITEX), the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), and other government

departments involved in the beef and dairy value chains.

Local NGOs and commercial companies work with the program as development partners to co-fund

purchases of essential inputs and new technologies for demonstration purposes on a cost-recovery

basis.

In summary, the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program is a market-driven

program that works closely with small-, medium-, and large-scale buyers to stimulate demand and

increase competition for smallholder-produced beef and dairy products. The program directly

contributes to food availability and access by concurrently increasing production and raising incomes

of rural households in selected areas.



1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This is the 19th quarterly report for the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program

funded by USAID/Zimbabwe under contract AID-613-C-15-00001 and implemented by Fintrac Inc.

The report presents activity achievements, results on some performance indicators,1 and anecdotal

information from beneficiaries over the period of January – March 2020(Q2 Fiscal Year [FY] 2020).

The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program is providing technical assistance to

reduce poverty and increase food security among smallholder beef and dairy households in Chipinge,

Chirumhanzu, Gokwe South, Gweru, Kwekwe, and Umzingwane districts, which all fall in NRs III, IV,

and V. Since inception, the program has worked with 13,388 unique smallholder cattle farmers or

11,157 rural households from the six operational districts (see also Annex 5). In FY2020 the

program is targeting to work with at least 4,200 beneficiaries2.

The program focuses on reducing the prevalence of poverty; increasing incomes and agricultural

production and productivity; and improving household nutritional and water, sanitation, and hygiene

(WASH) status. In addition, the program is building the capacity of local organizations to implement

agricultural development programs.

Program activities during the quarter focused on:

Promoting a whole farm approach to increase production and productivity, and agricultural

investments and returns.

Training, technical assistance, and mobilizing farmers and cattle for pen fattening.

Training and technical assistance on production- and productivity-enhancing good animal

husbandry practices (GAHPs), which included dosing, vaccination, construction of

appropriate cattle handling facilities, and calf-rearing techniques.

Training and technical assistance on business skills, including recordkeeping, market

intelligence, contract management, credit management, farm planning, group marketing, and

enterprise budgeting.

Training and technical assistance on drought mitigation strategies, including mobilizing and

facilitating procurement of supplementary and survival feeds, low-cost feed formulations

using commercial feed additives and locally available resources, and sensitizing farmers on

herd rationalization and purposeful destocking through off-the-rangeland sales of cattle that

were susceptible to poverty deaths.

Training and technical assistance on fodder flow planning, fodder production, harvesting,

preservation, and conservation.

Expanding the formal and informal marketing of milk and dairy products produced by

program beneficiaries.

Expanding and strengthening linkages of beneficiaries and other value chain players to credit

and finance providers.

Conducting the first round of the Annual Household Survey (AHS) FY2020.

Creating awareness of and providing training and technical assistance on cross-cutting issues

such as gender, environment, nutrition, and WASH.

Building the capacity of the program’s local implementing partners and farmers’ groups.

The quality of the growing season was generally poor across all program sites characterized by

below normal, erratic, and ineffective rainfall distribution which severely affected the production and

productivity of food and fodder crops as well as the rangelands. Major rivers in Gweru, Kwekwe,

and Umzingwane districts did not experience any water inflows while in Chipinge, Gokwe South, and

Chirumhanzu districts rivers had intermittent flows, signalling a difficult lean season ahead.

1 Full results on all indicators will be available in the fourth quarter once the Annual Household Survey, a sample survey, is

completed among randomly selected program beneficiaries. The Annual Household Survey collects data on 25 of 35

indicators monitored by the program. 2 800 dairy and 3,400 beef farmers



In view of the prevailing season outturn, program activities focused on preparing and helping

beneficiaries to minimize losses of their incomes (milk production) and assets (beef and dairy cattle

and other livestock) to ensure food security and access to adequate and nutritious foods while

adhering to good hygiene practices. The program encouraged farmers to grow drought-tolerant

food and fodder crops and trees including small grains, legumes, and multipurpose trees. In addition,

beneficiaries were urged to stockpile locally available feeds from the rangeland, crop residues,

commercial mineral supplements, and other feed additives. Program beneficiaries were also

encouraged to establish paddocks by fencing off portions of their farms.

The business operating environment remained challenging due to increasing inflation, foreign

currency shortages, depreciating local currency, and policy uncertainties, which resulted in sustained

input price increases, decline in disposable incomes, and declines in purchasing power. The program

provided trainings on the importance of electronic banking; on-farm production of animal feed;

investments in productive assets; strategic marketing; and investing in PPLs/ISALs as sources of

credit.

Notable achievements were made toward building farmers’ net worth and resilience; supporting

herd growth and improvement; promoting on-farm investments; and improving linkages to finance

and formal markets for both beef and dairy farmers. Specific achievements include:

The program worked with 2,391 unique farmers (46 percent women) of which 2,076 (46

percent women) were beef and 315 (47 percent women) were dairy farmers from the six

focus districts. About 1,133 (43 percent women) of these were new beneficiaries. Youthful

farmers constituted 18 percent of the beneficiaries. Program activities conducted during the

review period included: drought mitigation strategies; linkages to input, credit, service and

output markets; fodder production; training on GAPs and GAHPs, good environmental

stewardship, business skills, good nutrition, and WASH practices; and establishment of

woodlots with multi-purpose trees (fodder, fruit, timber, and firewood).

The program has worked with 97 percent of the targeted 4,200 participants for FY2020.

Since inception, the program has worked with 13,388 unique farmers or 11,157 rural

households (49 percent women) from the six operational districts. Thus, the program is on

track to meet its beef and dairy LOP targeted participants.

Beef-dairy farmers working with the program in focus areas of Chipinge, Chirumhanzu,

Gokwe South, Gweru, and Umzingwane districts delivered 93,973 litres of raw milk worth

$40,710 to formal markets (MCCs and processors) collaborating with the program. Despite

the significant increase in volumes delivered to formal markets, inflationary pressures and

devaluation of the local currency significantly reduced raw milk earnings compared to the

same period in FY2019.

Inflation and liquidity challenges continued to persist during the review quarter and this had

a negative impact on all program efforts to commercialize smallholder beef production as

most farmers preferred not to sell. A total of 99 cattle belonging to 43 beneficiaries were

sold to abattoirs and local butcheries partnering with the program for a total sales value of

$39,498. Program beneficiaries are only selling cattle when they have an emergency or have

identified an on-farm investment opportunity.

During the review period, 2,391 farmers (46 percent women) received training and/or one-

on-one technical assistance from program personnel on GAPs, GAHPs, business skills,

marketing, environment, gender, nutrition, and WASH. Most of the beneficiaries (49

percent) were from Chipinge district, and participated in both beef and dairy

related topics. In Chipinge district the program focused on implementing dairying

activities using the beef-dairy model among the existing beef beneficiaries.

This quarter, 1,994 farmers (45 percent women) were trained on beef-related topics, 1,211

beneficiaries (41 percent women) were trained on dairy-related topics, and 1,731 farmers

(43 percent women) were trained on improving business skills. As compared to the previous

quarter, a greater number of farmers enlisted for business training topics as they aligned



themselves for new income opportunities arising from the linkages to formal markets,

particularly milk marketing to large scale dairy processors through village milk aggregators.

During the review period, farmers and the private sector continued to leverage on

USG commitment made in previous quarters and invested $7,007 in milk room

construction, chillers, milking parlors, digital scales, and security fences to improve the

production and productivity of their farms and businesses. The amount of USG

commitments disbursed in the previous quarters and the co-investments by the private

sector (smallholder dairy farmers) in the first two quarters of FY 2020 stands

at $124,137 against an annual target of $150,000.

According to the preliminary results from the first AHS, 1,301 beef farmers (42 percent

women) have invested $750,600 and 458 dairy farmers (48 percent women) have invested

$436,231 since the beginning of FY2020. Investments included breeding heifers and cows,

farm infrastructure, and dairy equipment as more farmers made long term plans to

participate and supply the formal beef and dairy markets. Investments made by women were

37 percent of the total value.

The program facilitated 35 beef and dairy farmers (49 percent women) from Chipinge,

Gokwe South, and Gweru districts to access agriculture-related credit worth $2,624 from

PPLS, MCC, and output markets for working capital, mostly stock feeds and fuel. Women

borrowers received 54 percent of the total loan value.

This quarter, 1,609 beneficiaries (45 percent women) across the six operational districts

participated in program-facilitated nutrition and WASH activities. Activities targeted to

reinforce and maintain good nutrition and WASH behaviors for better health among

program beneficiaries.

During the quarter, 24 organizations/associations received regular trainings and technical

assistance on business and leadership skills, planning, and marketing to build their capacity to

manage key business functions. The organizations included eight village milk aggregators, five

women groups, one private enterprise, nine producer groups including feedlots and one

Water User Association.

The program trained 1,344 farmers (42 percent women) on environmental subjects. The

most popular subjects related to climate change; woodlot / orchard establishment; safe use

of chemicals and disposal of chemical containers; and use of adequate and appropriate PPEs

when handling chemicals. Beneficiaries are heeding program advice to combat soil erosion

and land degradation through increased planting of multi-purpose trees and grasses;

establishing paddocks; and investing in production and productivity-enhancing low-cost

renewable and clean sources of energy.

This quarter, 54 percent of leadership positions in beef and dairy marketing groups,

PPLs/ISALs, and grassroot producer associations working with the program were occupied

by female farmers, compared to 36 percent at baseline and LOP target of 50 percent. In

addition, 52 percent of the 122 functional lead farmers are women. Lead farmers are playing

a critical role in disseminating and feeding back information during the current COVID-19

lockdown. Program technicians are using them to cascade essential technical information to

their mentees and provide feedback and updates to the program hierarchy.

After 57 months of implementation, the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development

program is on course to meet its objectives. A summary of performance against PMP indicators is

shown in Annex 2. The anecdotal data in the report also reveals that significant progress is being

made.

As the program enters its final seven months of operations, the focus is on consolidating and

intensifying activities through intense engagement and collaborations with stakeholders, in particular

DVS, Dairy Services, and AGRITEX as well as the private sector partners in input and output

markets.



In the coming quarter, the program will continue to intensify training and technical assistance on

drought mitigation strategies, which include purposive culling of old and unproductive cattle; whole-

farm planning and on-farm investments to support infrastructural developments and herd

improvement; GAHPs and GAPs to encourage increased production and productivity for beneficiary

farmers; and solidifying market linkages for both beef and dairy farmers in all focus areas. The

program will continue identifying and working with beneficiaries of the GUC facility to ramp up the

investments in the cold chain, water and other ancillary equipment.

Despite the depressed opportunities for the economy to support lending – particularly for

agricultural production – the program will continue supporting farmers in accessing finance. The

program will also work closely with the farmers to leverage on the ISALs/PPLS and to identify assets,

particularly unproductive units of their herds that can be liquidated to create capital for on-farm

investments.



2. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program is to

provide inclusive economic opportunities that sustainably reduce poverty and increase food security,

incomes, WASH, and nutrition status of 1,800 beef and 1,200 dairy smallholder farmers in natural

regions (NRs) III, IV, and V.3 The program focuses on increasing production, productivity, and

market linkages of beef and dairy farmers as a means of increasing their food security, incomes,

hygiene, and nutritional status. These goals will be reached through the achievement of three

intermediate results (IRs):

● Increased sustainable agricultural production, productivity, and incomes of targeted

beef and dairy smallholder farmers through increased market linkages; access to

appropriate credit and finance; investment; and adoption of GAPs, GAHPs, and technologies.

● Improved hygiene and nutrition-related behaviors through training and technical

assistance on good household nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation practices as well as exclusive

breastfeeding.

● Increased organizational capacity of local organizations to implement USAID-funded

agricultural development programs by transferring skills and capacity building, sharing best

practices, and attracting investments from private sector organizations partnering with the

Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program.

The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program focuses on profitable beef and

dairy production and income generation through appropriate and sustainable interventions4 that

improve the livelihoods of vulnerable livestock owners. These activities will help rural families

transition from subsistence to commercial farming and increase their net worth through investment

in cattle and other on-farm productivity-enhancing assets.

Figure 1 summarizes the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program’s

implementation approach. Interventions will sustainably raise production, productivity, and incomes

from smallholder beef and dairy systems; improve hygiene practices and behaviors; increase the

availability and utilization of nutritious foods; expand market access and availability of credit and

finance across value chains; add value to beef and dairy products; and boost agricultural investment

and the adoption of best practices by local implementers.

To maximize outreach and ensure sustainability, the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock

Development program is partnering with commercial companies, NGOs, and relevant government

departments. Collaboration with the government has enabled easy entry into target areas and led to

the sharing of technical information and training platforms and will also be used to enable a

sustainable program exit.

Developing commercial partnerships through a national network of both private and public

agribusinesses strengthens farmers’ access to markets with fair prices, provides working capital and

finance at realistic rates, supplies inputs efficiently, and provides extension and training to growers as

an embedded cost. Partnerships with the private sector ensures sustainable business relationships

that outlive program life as they focus on establishing service provision options at market rates.

During the fifth year (FY2020), program activities are focusing on:

Leveraging the GUC facility to ramp up the whole farm approach as the first step toward

commercialization and improving beneficiaries’ incomes, food security, and resilience

through improvement in production and productivity, reduction in unit costs of production,

and promotion of mixed farming at the household level. The focus is to ensure households

3 The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program’s goals have been aligned with Development Objective

1 of USAID/Zimbabwe’s new Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) 2016 – 2021. 4 Interventions such as herd rationalization combined with linkages to abattoirs and auction sales; use of low-cost feed

sources; production and implementation of fodder plans; linkages with sources of finance and input suppliers.



produce efficiently for home consumption and generate increased incomes from selling to

more lucrative and sustainable markets.

● Leveraging the GUC facility to ramp up the beef-dairy and village milk aggregation models to

reduce the costs of aggregation and marketing of raw milk and create more sustainable

market arrangements. The program’s target is to work with at least 35 milk aggregators

and 800 smallholder dairy producers.

Improving the competitiveness of smallholder farmers in the beef and dairy sector

through capacity building and technical assistance in productivity enhancing GAPs, GAHPs,

and technologies.

Intensifying cattle breed improvement strategies including artificial insemination (AI)

and procurement of heifers (beef and dairy) to increase beef production and milk yields

respectively.

Capacity building of cattle producer groups, milk and beef aggregators, and

private sector players (input suppliers, markets, and financiers) working with program

beneficiaries to strengthen their relationship and improve their efficiency in service delivery

and sustainability.

Increasing demand for smallholder-produced beef and dairy products by focusing on

improved quality, increased quantity, reliability of supply, and better supply logistics by

facilitating and building linkages with both formal and informal buyers of smallholder beef and

dairy products.

Expanding the availability of improved inputs for beef and dairy farmers throughout

Natural Regions (NRs) III, IV, and V by creating new commercial partnerships with input

suppliers as well as introducing low- to no-cost interventions that improve productivity,

animal health, and nutrition.

Demonstrating the high investment returns achieved by employing low-cost technologies

and improved livestock management practices among individual and group

investments.

Facilitating access to capital, finance, and credit for all value chain actors to facilitate

investment.

Improving overall household health and nutrition through improved dietary diversity

(e.g., by incorporating livestock products) and trainings on household nutrition and proper

sanitation.

Prioritizing coordination with other USAID, donor, and government investments in the

target areas to maximize leveraging and impact per dollar spent.

Maximizing outreach and ensuring sustainability by implementing interventions through

partnerships with commercial companies or other types of non-governmental

organizations. The program’s technical team will continue developing, facilitating, and

managing these partnerships to create a national network of agribusinesses and supporting

organizations that can supply inputs efficiently; provide extension and training to dairy and

beef farmers as an embedded cost; provide working capital and finance at realistic rates; and

guarantee access to markets at fair prices. Providing demand-driven training and technical

assistance to address site-specific challenges.

Empowering women and youth. The strategy continues to mainstream gender and

youth to ensure sustainable, inclusive, and transformative agricultural-led economic growth

and monitors progress from baseline to quantifiably report on impact.



INPUTS

AND

ACTIVITIES (Including

cross-cutting)

Increased

private sector

investment in

the agriculture

sector

BDS

Trainings (GAPS,

technologies,

management skills,

nutrition, hygiene)

Market

linkages

PROJECT GOAL: PROVIDE INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUSTAINABLY REDUCE POVERTY AND IMPROVE

FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION AND BUILD RESILIENCE OF RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN ZIMBABWE

Improved nutrition and hygiene

practices and behaviors

Finance,

credit, and

investment

Improved

access to and

utilization of

nutritious foods

Improved

hygiene

behaviors

Increased

prevalence of

exclusive

breastfeeding

Increased

implementation

effectiveness of

agricultural

programs by

local

organizations

Increased adoption of best

organizational practices. (Management;

HR; ethics; M&E; USAID regulatory

compliance etc.)

Increased organizational capacity of

local implementing organizations

Increased sustainable agricultural

production, productivity, and

incomes

IMPACT (Long-

term results)

Promote

social

inclusion of

women and

youth

Increased

adoption of

GAPS and

management

practices

Improved

NRM

Increased

access to

credit and

finance

OUTCOMES

(Intermediary

Results)

Quality

and

standards

OUTPUTS

(Sub IRs)

Partnerships

and

collaboration

Promote

techniques for

climate

change

adaptation

Expanded

market access

and value chain

integration

Capacity

development

and sharing

best

practices

Figure 1: Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program Results Framework Summary



3. ACTIVITIES

The quality of the growing season was generally poor across all the program sites characterized by

below normal, erratic, and ineffective rainfall distribution. Prolonged dry and hot periods in all

program areas during the quarter impacted negatively on food and fodder crop establishment and

management. Thus, the production and productivity of food and fodder crops as well as the

rangeland were severely affected. Major rivers in Gweru, Kwekwe, and Umzingwane districts did not

experience any water inflows while rivers in Chipinge, Gokwe South, and Chirumhanzu districts had

intermittent flows, signalling a very difficult lean season ahead in terms of water availability for

humans and livestock. In view of the prevailing season outturn, program activities focused on

preparing and helping beneficiaries to minimize losses of their incomes (milk production) and assets

(beef and dairy cattle and other livestock) to ensure food security and access to adequate and

nutritious foods while adhering to good hygiene practices.

Farmers were encouraged to grow drought-tolerant food and fodder crops and trees including small

grains (pearl millet and forage sorghum); legumes (velvet beans and sunn hemp); and multipurpose

trees (mulberry). In addition, beneficiaries were urged to stockpile locally available feeds from the

rangeland (hay and nutritious pods); crop residues (sugar cane waste, and stover); commercial

mineral supplements; and other feed additives. Program beneficiaries were also encouraged to

establish paddocks by fencing off some portions of their farms. Paddocks help in controlling

overgrazing and land degradation.

Training and technical assistance which coincided with the beef and dairy production calendars was

provided including production and productivity enhancing GAPs, GAHPs, and business development

skills; linking farmers to markets and financial services; promoting good environmental stewardship,

nutrition and hygiene practices; as well as providing capacity building to farmers’ groups and private

sector players that are working with the program. Specific trainings on GAPs and GAHPs focused on

fodder production and preservation; clean milk production; calf rearing; cattle supplementary

feeding; feedlot management; construction of cattle handling facilities; animal health and breeding.

Linkages to markets and financial services; enterprise budgeting; whole farm planning; record

keeping; and on farm investments comprised most of the business development skills training during

the quarter. Gender, nutrition, and WASH trainings and technical assistance continued to be

mainstreamed and integrated in beef and dairy program activities.

The program partnered with private sector partners in rolling out technical days, dairy feed

demonstrations, and provision of capacity building to beef and milk aggregators. The program also

provided capacity building to private sector companies including MCCs on nuances of working with

smallholder farmers, viability analysis, market pricing, input and output service bundling, market

development, and how to embed technical extension messages into their product and service

offerings to smallholder farmers. This collaborative effort with the private sector ensures

sustainability of technical interventions after the program ends.

Activities to increase beneficiaries’ access to formal markets were enhanced through the village milk

and beef aggregation models across all program sites. The aggregation models aim at reducing

transaction and marketing costs through economies of scale at the first and last mile of rural value

chains.

The GUCs facility continued to enhance the mobilization of resources from beneficiaries for co-

investment in on-farm production and productivity enhancing GAPs, GAHPs, and technologies.

High tick infestations were reported from all program areas. The program, in collaboration with

other stakeholders and private sector partners, encouraged and trained farmers in on-farm disease

control, in particular tick control, with PERSUAP compliant chemicals to help mitigate the high

incidences of tick-borne and other diseases. This is part of the program’s empowerment of farmers

to take ultimate responsibility for their animal health and safeguard herd productivity and reduce

mortalities.



At the end of the review period the program conducted the first round of the Annual Household

Survey (AHS) for FY2020. The program could not complete the data collection process on the

intended 378 sampled beneficiaries due to the travel restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19

pandemic. However, useable data was collected among 261 respondents which represent six

percent of the program beneficiaries when the survey was designed in January 2020.

The sections below detail the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program activities

during the quarter in five categories including preliminary results from the first round AHS FY2020

on some of the 35 monitored indicators where applicable:

Beneficiaries:5 Number, gender balance, geographical spread, and types of support

received.

Incremental Sales and Income: Amount of new money earned by beneficiaries,

measured by sales of all agricultural products including through strengthening of market

linkages.

Productivity: Direct interventions resulting in increased production and net returns from

beef and dairy production. This also includes interventions that improve access to finance,

credit and investment; developing business skills among beneficiary farmers and collaborating

partners; and promoting farmer-led extension systems.

Nutrition and hygiene: Interventions targeted for positive behavior change in nutrition,

and WASH activities.

Organizational capacity development: Interventions targeted at promoting farmer led

extension systems; developing the organizational capacity of farmer groups and local

collaborating partners to enhance their effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability in servicing

smallholder farmers, and implementing development programs.

An explanation of the program’s environmental and gender activities follows in each respective

section.

3.1 BENEFICIARIES

EG.3-2 Number of Individuals participating in USG Food Security Programs

During the review period, program interventions reached 2,391 unique farmers (46 percent women)

of which 2,076 (46 percent women) were beef and 315 (47 percent women) were dairy farmers

from the six focus districts (Table 3.1.2). Youthful farmers constituted 18 percent of the

beneficiaries. The program continued to intensify activities in the existing districts and operational

wards hence 45 percent of the beneficiaries reached since the start of FY2020 are farmers who have

worked with the program from previous years (Table 3.1.1). During the review period, the program

worked with 1,133 new beneficiaries (43 percent women) bringing to 2,246 new beneficiaries (48

percent women) since the beginning of FY2020. These new beneficiaries were attracted to the

program after witnessing welfare gains from the commercialization activities among beneficiary

farmers.

Program activities conducted during the review period include but were not limited to: drought

mitigation strategies; on-farm investments; linkages to input, credit, service and output markets;

fodder production; training on GAPs and GAHPs, good environmental stewardship, business skills,

good nutrition and WASH practices; and establishment of woodlots with multi-purpose trees

(fodder, fruit, timber, and firewood).

5 To be eligible for program support, on initial contact with the program, a beef beneficiary farmer must have 10 or less

cattle while a dairy beneficiary must be milking no more than two cows. In addition, all must be earning $500 or less per

annum per household, with 75 percent of income emanating from agricultural activities. For small-scale commercial dairy

farmers, to be considered for program support, a farmer must be milking more than two cows and earning an annual

household income of $1,500 or less on initial contact with the program. Seventy-five percent of income must be from

agricultural activities. Small-scale commercial dairy beneficiaries must not exceed 30 percent of total dairy beneficiaries.



The program has worked with 97 percent of the targeted 4,200 participants for FY2020 (Table

3.1.1). Since inception, the program has worked with 13,388 unique farmers or 11,157 rural

households (49 percent women) from the six operational districts (Annex 5). Thus, the program is

on track to meet its beef and dairy LOP targeted participants.

Table 3.1.1: New and Continuing Participants -Q1 & Q2 FY 2020

Value Chain FY 2020 Q1 & Q2 FY2020 Achievement

Progress Target New Continuing Total

Beef 3,400 1,983 1,547 3,530 104%

Dairy 800 263 261 524 66%

Total 4,200 2,246 1,808 4,054 97%

Source: CIRIS

The program linked 1,631 farmers (1,319 beef and 312 dairy) to new formal buyers of beef and dairy

products. The formal markets include abattoirs, butcheries, village milk aggregators, milk processors,

and milk collection centers (MCC) (Table 3.1.2).

Table 3.1.2: Program Interventions, Q2 FY2020

Activities Beef Farmers Dairy Farmers

Combined Unique

Farmers

Females Males Total Females Males Total Females Males Total

Trainings and TA 957 1,119 2,076 147 168 315 1,104 1,287 2,391

Farmers linked to

formal buyers 481 838 1,319 171 141 312 652 979 1,631

Source: CIRIS Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program First Round AHS, 2020

3.2 INCREMENTAL SALES

The program continued to use a gradualist approach to dairy development and tracks program

beneficiaries selling milk in both formal and informal markets. In all focus areas, the program

continued to encourage more farmers to milk their beef cows for household milk consumption and

sell any surplus into the local markets for additional income. This approach is used as a stepping

stone for higher income generation through milk sales to formal markets through the program-

initiated village aggregation model.

Access to profitable and formal markets for both beef and dairy producers was facilitated through

village aggregators. Village beef and dairy aggregators have been instrumental in generating new

income streams into the rural economy for all value chain players and reducing transaction and

marketing costs among smallholder beef and dairy farmers. The aggregation models also provided a

sustainable means of disaggregating agricultural inputs to enhance a cost-effective last mile

distribution of inputs.

In collaboration with Dairy Services, AGRITEX, DVS, Dairibord Zimbabwe (Pvt) Limited, Dendairy,

and Rakiten the program continued to develop and consolidate the activities of village milk

aggregators in providing the essential marketing functions that include but are not limited to clean

milk production, grading, buying, quality control, aggregating, storing, cold chain facilities,

transporting, and delivering raw milk to processors. The program encouraged potential and active

milk aggregators as well as farmers delivering milk to the aggregators to invest in potable water;

solar-based cold chain facilities; construct milking parlors; adopt good herd health, nutrition, and

breeding practices; and produce adequate fodder to ensure viable lactation periods and increased

production and productivity of clean and safe milk. Specific market interventions during the quarter

included:



Three village milk aggregators (two women), who previously delivered raw milk to the local

Gokwe MCC, working with a total of four farmers (three women) from Gokwe South

District were certified by Dairy services and signed contracts to deliver milk to Dendairy in

Kwekwe beginning mid-March 2020. An additional 13 farmers are still finalizing their

accreditation and certification and will be delivering their milk to Dendairy in the next

quarter. The three aggregators delivered 298 liters of raw milk worth $183 during the

review period. The farmers are still going through some teething problems which include

challenges with the cold chain, inadequate feeding regimes, irregular availability of transport,

and unpredictable transport fare hikes coupled with the COVID-19-induced national lock

down which occurred toward the end of the quarter. Through these new market linkages,

the aggregators are receiving a producer price that is 300 percent higher than what is paid

by the MCC. Prior to program support, female village milk aggregator Siyengiwe Machina

had been selling her milk to the MCC for the past 20 years. “Thank you, Feed the Future

Zimbabwe Livestock Development program, for linking us to a more sustainable and

lucrative alternative market, which will enable us to earn higher incomes,” she said, after

being linked to Dendairy.

The program facilitated the accreditation of three milk aggregators from Umzingwane

District by Dairy Services to produce and deliver raw milk to formal processors. The

aggregators are now identifying the appropriate processor (Text box 3.2.1.) and this will be

finalized during the next quarter. Meanwhile, the aggregators have continued supplying raw

milk to Umzingwane MCC. Accreditation was made possible after joint technical training

from the program, government stakeholders and three large-scale processors from

Bulawayo on clean milk production and construction of proper milk production and

handling facilities.

In Chipinge, the program successfully transformed 100 beef farmers in the non-dairy natural

region V of Chipinge district to beef-dairy farmers. Of these farmers, 31 (75 percent

women) were linked to a formal milk market, Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited through three

village milk aggregators (one woman). Since their maiden delivery during the first week of

March 2020, the three aggregators have now delivered 2,521 liters of raw milk to the

processor. Deliveries, done every other day, have since increased by more than 300

percent from the maiden delivery of 43 liters to around 180 liters. The increase in milk

deliveries is due to an increase in the number of suppliers from 10 at inception to more

than 30 farmers by the end of this quarter, and an increase in average milk yield per cow-

from an average of one liter per cow per day to about three liters per cow per day. Returns

from milk sales also increased during the quarter due to an improvement in the quality of

the milk in terms of milk hygiene, butterfat, and protein (See Annex 1: Chipinge Farmers Break

New Dairy Ground). Monitored records from the more than 70 Chipinge beef-dairy farmers

indicate that they sold 5,528 liters worth $1,658 to local farmers, schools, irrigation

schemes, and business centers during the review period. Plans are underway to facilitate

these farmers to sell their milk to Dairibord Zimbabwe in Chipinge.

New aggregation groups were established in Chirumhanzu, Gokwe South, and Umzingwane

districts. The program identified 16 new village milk aggregators in Gokwe South,

Chirumhanzu, and Umzingwane districts who are at different stages of preparing for

accreditation with Dairy Services. In Chirumhanzu district, one of the aspiring aggregators

Tatenda Ukama, invested $390 in a chiller and has upgraded his milking parlor and milk

storage room in preparing for accreditation with Dairy Services.

The program in collaboration with the Farmer to Farmer Volunteer program, implemented

by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), provided capacity building support to

smallholder livestock farmers in Umzingwane district on Contagious Abortion as an

economic disease among both beef and dairy producers and as a serious zoonotic disease

among the general public, particularly in the rural areas where consumption of

unpasteurized milk is a norm. A total of 176 smallholder livestock farmers (64 percent

women) attended the training sessions, which took place over a three-week period.



Textbox 3.2.1: Using the crowding-in approach to facilitate market linkages and inclusive

dairy value chain for Umzingwane district smallholder farmers

For decades smallholder and marginalized milk producers in Umzingwane District of Matabeland South

have been selling milk to the Umzingwane Dairy Cooperative where payments were significantly lower

compared to average national prices. In addition, intake of raw milk and payments to farmers by the

center were irregular. Transparency and accountability were some of the governance issues riddling

the centre.

The once underserved smallholder farmers have since realized their voices in deciding where to deliver

their milk after investing in hygienic milk production practices to include access to reliable solar cold

chain, improved access to running water, stainless steel milking cans, hygienic milking parlors and milk

storage rooms, and other intrinsic milk handling practices to improve their production and

competitiveness in the dairy sector.

Three large dairy processors, Keshelmer, Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited, and Dendairy were impressed

by the capacity and potential of the village aggregators and their milk suppliers to produce clean, safe,

and hygienic milk for human consumption. All of the processors developed confidence in the once

shunned smallholder dairy production system and started interacting with the smallholder farmers-

going out to inspect smallholder dairy premises, inviting the farmers to meetings and workshops, and

sharing information through text messages sent to the aggregators’ phones. All three large scale

processors are ready to receive milk from the village aggregators and are keen to adopt the model.

Stanley Mandizha from Dendairy talking to village aggregator Douglas Masilela during an appreciation visit (left).

Perseverance Murambakanda from Dairibord with Dairy Services Officer Mr. P. Dube and aggregator Juwere

Dzingirai during appreciation visit to aggregation sites (right).

3.2.1 Sales of Milk and Dairy Products

During the quarter under review, farmers working with the program in focus areas of Chipinge,

Chirumhanzu, Gokwe South, Gweru, and Umzingwane districts delivered 93,973 liters of raw milk

worth $40,710 to formal markets (MCCs and processors) in collaboration with the program, as

compared to 86,501 liters worth $88,137 that was delivered in the same quarter in FY 2019 (Table

3.2.1).



Table 3.2.1: Recorded Milk Sales from Program Focus Areas, Q2 FY2020

January – March 2019 January – March 2020

Volume

(l) Value ($) Volume (l) Value ($) Buyer

i) Beef – Dairy milk production

i) Raw milk delivered to informal markets

Chirumhanzu – non MCC 9,125 5,162 3,270 2,136 Farm gate and

vending

Chipinge 0 0 5,528 1,658 Farm gate and

vending

Gokwe South – non MCC

(Sengwa) 490 490 0 0 Farm gate

Gweru 2,940 3,994 780 300 Farm gate

Umzingwane – non MCC 316 1,264 8,812 6,946 Farm gate and

vending

Total 12,871 10,910 18,390 11,040

ii) Raw milk delivered to formal markets

Chirumhanzu – Aggregators 807 807 3,117 2,323

Venge Stores,

Mushagashe,

Dairibord

Chipinge 0 0 2,521 1,521 Dairibord

Zimbabwe Limited

Gokwe MCC – members 29,253 26,319 18,413 5,198 MCC

Gokwe South – Aggregators 1,266 1,234 4,006 1,552

Gokwe MCC,

Dendairy, Farm

gate

Gweru – Individuals 2,175 2,382 9,843 6,465 Dairibord

Gweru – Aggregators 5,921 6,697 0 0 Dairibord

Umzingwane – Aggregators 1,544 1,544 3,309 1,718 MCC, Red Tractor

Umzingwane – Non MCC 35,864 39,482 48,778 19,676 Kershelmer,

Dendairy

Umzingwane – MCC members 9,671 9,671 3,986 2,257 MCC

Total 86,501 88,136 93,973 40,710

Source: Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program

Although the volume of the milk delivered was 9 percent higher, the value of milk delivered was 54

percent lower. Shortages of foreign currency have continued to put pressure on the local currency

which has devalued by more than 500 percent since March 2019 resulting in high levels of inflation

and decline in disposable incomes. Significant increases in volumes of milk delivered to formal and

informal markets reflect program efforts in increasing the supply base and on-farm production and

productivity.

Preliminary results from the FY2020 first round of AHS show a slight decrease in the average milk

yield from 6.29 to 6.04 liters per cow per day. This may be due to a dilution effect as new producers

mainly from Chipinge district, milking mainly beef animals, came on board since the start of FY2020.

Beef cows are predominantly low yielding with a short lactation length.



Textbox 3.2.2: The evolution of the Beef Dairy and Village Aggregation Models – A case of

Umsungwe Block

The dairy farmers in Umsungwe Block have lived through the complete evolution of the program’s

innovative beef-dairy and village aggregation models.

The twin models presented low-cost entry into dairy production and access to sustainable and lucrative

markets. During conceptualization, the program envisaged the beef-dairy farmers evolving into dairy

farmers, who instead of milking beef cows will in a gradualist approach be milking high yielding dairy

crosses appropriate for their agro-ecological regions, on-farm resource availability and production

system. Farmers would increase production through improved production systems and would start

aggregating their own milk as they start milking their cows twice each day instead of once. Dairy

Farmers in Umsungwe Block in Gweru district have already started investing in breed improvement.

The farmers have embraced artificial insemination (AI) and are receiving this service as a support service

from veterinary doctors from the output market, Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited, the second largest dairy

processor and stock exchange listed company. The farmers are also rationalizing their beef herds by

selling off cull animals and investing the proceeds in productive dairy animals: calves, heifers, and in-calf

cows and heifers. The four farmers in Umsungwe block are now proud owners of 20 improved dairy

animals (seven female dairy calves, eight dairy heifers, and five milking dairy cows) compared to zero

when they started working with the program in March of 2018.

Beef farmers in Umsungwe block started off by delivering small volumes of milk from their beef cows to

smallholder farmer Fransica Paramu who had started off as the aggregator for the area. In a period of 12

months, the village aggregation model quickly matured to give birth to four independent and successful

dairy aggregators, capable of individually chilling and delivering their own milk to Dairibord Zimbabwe

Limited. By delivering milk to Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited the dairy farmers are now members of the

ZADF, and are eligible to get in-kind feed loans from stock feed companies Feedmix and Ice Feeds; in-

kind loans to purchase dairy cows; receive technical support from the processors’ extension staff;

receive loans and financial services from banks and microfinance organizations (ZimNAT); interact with

other input suppliers (Kurima Machinery); receive up-to-date information from the dairy industry; and

above all receive increased returns from their dairy enterprises. Currently the farmers are delivering

3,500 liters to Dairibord and earning $2,255 each month.

The beef-dairy and village aggregation models being implemented in all program dairy areas are

showing significant increases in volumes of milk sales through the formal and informal markets. This

indicates potential growth of the value chain among smallholder farmers during and post-program

especially where village aggregators and producers have been identified and linked to formal

markets. The strong private sector engagement established will ensure sustainability of these

developments following the end of the program (See Textbox 3.2.2).

3.2.2 Beef Product Sales

Inflation and liquidity challenges continued to persist during the review period, affecting cattle

marketing activities. Disposable incomes continued to decline, thus affecting the demand for beef.

The introduction of the local currency in FY2019 saw a 50 percent decline in the value of cattle.

Thus, earnings from the same quality animal continued to decline by the same margins (Figure 3.2.2).

The depreciating value of cattle had a negative impact on all program efforts to commercialize

smallholder beef production as most farmers preferred not to sell. Program beneficiaries are only

selling cattle to meet financial emergencies or when they have identified an investment opportunity

at the farm to include potable water, irrigation, chilling facilities, milking equipment, dairy animals,

and paddocking.



Beef prices are normally low between January and March due to a relatively lower demand for beef

after the festive season and the start of the school calendar when farmers will be disposing their

cattle to raise school fees. The graph in Figure 3.2.2 shows the relatively depressed beef prices for

the period December 2019 through to February 2020 as a result of depressed aggregate demand in

the economy due to the hyper-inflationary environment. Farmers have been reluctant to dispose

even their cull animals despite their good condition from the abundant summer grazing during this

period. Thus, the number of off the rangeland sales of culls (cows, bulls, and older oxen), most likely

to succumb to the lean season and inherently do not perform well in feedlots, was negatively

affected. The program will continue to help farmers identify investment opportunities on their farms

to justify the culling of the less productive animals and encourage them to take advantage of the beef

prices, which now seem to be taking an upward trend.

A total of 99 cattle belonging to 43 beneficiaries were sold during the quarter to abattoirs and local

butcheries partnering with the program (Table 3.2.2 and 3.2.3). Of these, 70 were cattle from 20

Umzingwane and Gweru farmers, which were pen fed during the previous quarter. The 70 cattle

were sold to Montana Carswell Meats and fetched higher prices (ranging from $324 to $723)

compared to the 29 that were sold off the rangeland in Chipinge and Gokwe South to local

butcheries and breeders (ranging from $180 to $700). Farmers used the income received to invest in

on-farm activities such as water reticulation; cold chain facilities development; buying productive

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept

USD

Months

Figure 3.3.2: Average Commercial Beef Prices FY2016-FY2020

FY2016

FY2017

FY2018

FY2019

FY2020


All Photos by Fintrac

An ox at Patrick Nkomo’s homestead in Umzingwane district ready for slaughter (left). Loading of cattle at

a ramp in Ward 20 of Umzingwane district (right).



animals; constructing cattle handling facilities (water and feed troughs, milking parlors, cattle pens,

fencing materials); and for working capital (wages, stock feeds, veterinary drugs) as well as for

household needs (school fees, health bills, food).

Table 3.2.2 Program Monitored Cattle Sales from Supervised Feedlots Q2 FY2020

District

Number of

animals

sold6

Number

of farmers Buyers

Lowest

price

($)

Highest

price ($)

Total Gross

income ($)

Gweru 8 7 Montana Carswell 325 724 4,094

Chirumhanzu 0 0 0 0 0

Kwekwe 0 0 0 0 0

Umzingwane 62 13 Montana Carswell 379 850 27,140

Grand Total /

Average 70 20 31,234


In Gokwe South the program facilitated disposal of 12 cull cattle from seven beef-dairy farmers, and

proceeds went toward farm investments in milk rooms and milking parlors as part of meeting the

requirements of selling their raw milk to formal markets.

Table 3.2.3 Program Monitored Off the Rangeland Cattle Sales Q2 FY2020

District

Number of

animals

sold

Number

of farmers Buyers

Lowest

price

($)

Highest

price ($)

Total Gross

income ($)

Chipinge 14 14

Local butcheries,

Koala Park, and Molu’s

Meats

180 390 3,894

Gokwe South 12 7 Breeders, Butcheries 150 700 3,000

Gweru 3 2 Butcheries 350 669 1,369

Chirumhanzu 0 0 0 0 0

Kwekwe 0 0 0 0 0

Grand Total /

Average 29 23 8,263


The program continues to collaborate with abattoirs to roll out the village beef aggregation model to

foster mutually beneficial business relationships between beef farmers and formal markets. The

model targets to reduce transaction costs for smallholder farmers through working with local

entrepreneurs willing to coordinate the aggregation of cattle for sale to abattoirs, the procurement

of basic inputs, and accessing up to date marketing information for servicing the smallholder

livestock farmers, all for a fee.

3.3 INCREASING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY

As part of its exit strategy, the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program is

focusing on selecting the top most performing beneficiaries; intensifying, and diversifying the

provision of trainings and technical assistance of the game changing GAPs, GAHPs, and business

development skills to create centers of excellence and ensure sustainability of program activities

after LOP. The program’s technical team is heightening its facilitative role among beneficiaries,

6 These animals were a carryover from FY 2020 Q1 feedlots where 78 cattle were to be sold during this quarter. Eight of

these cattle belonging to two farmers could not be sold to the abattoirs due to compliance issues- the farmer could not

supply with adequate paperwork and hence the animals are yet to be cleared for slaughter by ZRP and DVS.



private sector, and relevant government stakeholders to also ensure sustainability of program

interventions. Production and productivity increasing activities during the reporting period focused

on:

Improving technical and business skills through:

o Training and technical assistance on GAPs, GAHPs, and technologies aimed at

improving reproductive efficiency and general cattle performance in terms of herd

health, animal nutrition, breeding, and herd rationalization.

o Training and technical assistance on business skills to help farmers run their farms

as businesses and identify long-term opportunities for earning additional income.

Demonstrating and promoting the adoption of GAPs, GAHPs, technologies, and

management practices that are low- to no-cost but effective in improving herd performance,

whole farm productivity, and increasing returns.

Encouraging beneficiaries to invest in assets and technologies that increase productivity such

as irrigation infrastructure; breeding heifers and cows; fencing material; milking parlors; and

chilling facilities among others.

Increasing farmers and other value chain players’ access to finance, credit, and inputs.

Results achieved in enhancing production and productivity among beneficiaries during the quarter

are reported under four sub-headings: improving agricultural technical and business skills; promoting the

adoption of improved technologies and management practices; increasing investment in agricultural assets

and technologies; and increasing access to finance and credit. The results for relevant indicator(s)

monitored under each sub-head are summarized where available. In other cases, illustrative

anecdotal data is provided.

3.3.1 Improving Agricultural Technical and Business Skills

LD 33 Number of individuals who have received USG-supported short-term agricultural sector productivity or

food security training

During the review period, the program engaged 2,391 unique beneficiaries (46 percent women)

compared to 2,314 beneficiaries (51 percent women) in the previous quarter who attended training

sessions and/or received one-on-one technical assistance from program personnel on GAPs, GAHPs,

business skills, marketing, environment, gender, nutrition, and WASH (Table 3.3.1.1.). Most of the

beneficiaries (49 percent) were from Chipinge district who participated in both beef and dairy

related topics. In Chipinge district the program focused on implementing dairying activities using the

beef-dairy model among the existing beef beneficiaries.

The program facilitated more engagements between the private sector players and beneficiaries by

hosting technical days to showcase some of the program interventions and new technologies from

the input suppliers. In January 2020, three drought mitigation and mechanization technical days, co-

hosted in partnership with Kurima Machinery and other private sector partners7, were held in wards

1, 3, and 26 of Chipinge district. During the three technical days, drought mitigation strategies were

discussed and affordable labor-saving technologies including multi-functional chaff cutters, two-wheel

tractors, water pumps, milking cans and machines from Kurima Machinery were showcased.

7 Other private sector partners who attended the three technical days were Windmill Private Limited, FeedMix, Green

Fuel, Molus’ Meats Abattoir, MicroPlan Financial Services, and the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers.



Table 3.3.1.1: Unique Individual Farmer Trainees, Q2 FY 2020

District

Q1 FY2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %

Women Female Male Total

%

Women

Chipinge 425 340 765 56 509 674 1,183 43

Chirumhanzu 96 118 214 45 128 123 251 51

Gokwe South 139 179 318 44 111 133 244 45

Gweru 158 143 301 52 118 143 261 45

Kwekwe 276 273 549 50 137 133 270 51

Umzingwane 89 78 167 53 97 85 182 53

Total 1,183 1,131 2,314 51 1,100 1,291 2,391 46

Source: CIRIS

During the quarter, 1,994 farmers (45 percent women) were trained in beef related topics

compared to 1,978 beneficiaries (51 percent women) trained in the previous quarter (Table 3.3.1.2).

The highest proportion of farmers trained in beef related topics was from Chipinge district followed

by Kwekwe and Gweru districts, which are the programs’ main beef zones.

Table 3.3.1.2: Beef Training by District, Q2 FY2020

District

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %


%

Women

Chipinge 411 336 747 55 483 669 1,152 42

Chirumhanzu 51 71 122 42 81 68 149 54

Gokwe

South 63 99 162 39 55 58 113 49

Gweru 150 130 280 54 113 135 248 46

Kwekwe 275 273 548 50 137 134 271 51

Umzingwane 64 55 119 54 28 33 61 46

Total 1,014 964 1,978 51 897 1,097 1,994 45

Source: CIRIS

Beef training topics and practical demonstrations covered fodder planning and production; feed

formulation; cattle handling facilities; disease identification, prevention, and control; cattle marketing;

success factors for pen fattening; animal health; artificial insemination theory/practice; and general

cattle management practices (Table 3.3.1.3). The partnership with Suburban Veterinary Practice

(SVP) in Kwekwe district continued to pay dividends as more beneficiaries accessed animal health,

nutrition, and breeding services.

Table 3.3.1.3: Beef Training by Subject, Q2 FY 2020

Subject

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %


%

Women

Animal Breeding 77 60 137 56 72 64 136 53

Animal Health 3 3 6 50 119 89 208 57

Artificial

Insemination

Theory/Practical 69 81 150 46 119 129 248 48



Table 3.3.1.3: Beef Training by Subject, Q2 FY 2020

Subject

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %


%

Women

Bull Examination 15 26 41 37 30 24 54 56

Calf Management 4 4 8 50 2 1 3 67

Cattle and Meat

Grading 78 123 201 39 60 36 96 63

Disease Prevention

and Control 402 441 843 48 427 459 886 48

Disease Treatment 255 292 547 47 252 331 583 43

Drought Mitigation

Strategies 45 27 72 63 15 13 28 54

Feed Formulation 201 250 451 45 150 213 363 41

Feedlot

Postmortem 1 4 5 20 0 1 1 0

Fodder Production 438 482 920 48 588 660 1,248 47

Handling Facilities 457 464

921 50 379 390 769 49

Heat

Synchronization 20 33 53 38 44 40 84 52

Husbandry

Practices 530 558

1,088 49 506 727 1,233 41

Marketing 274 324 598 46 251 309 560 45

Pen Fattening 436 422 858 51 130 212 342 38

Supplementary

Feeding 119 111 230 52 4 8 12 33

Urea Treatment of

Stover 56 41 97 58 2 3 5 40

Other* 133 159 292 46 206 360 566 36

*Other subjects include culling and drought mitigation strategies Source: CIRIS

A total of 1,211 beneficiaries (41 percent women) were trained in dairy related topics, compared to

806 farmers (52 percent women) in the previous quarter, an increase of 50 percent (Table 3.3.1.4).

The program continued to identify new dairy aggregators and producers to increase the volumes of

raw milk sold through formal markets. There was a 296 percent increase in the number of

beneficiaries trained in dairy related topics in Chipinge district compared to the previous review

period mainly due to increased formal market opportunities through the three village milk

aggregators linked to Dairibord Zimbabwe.

Table 3.3.1.4: Dairy Training by District, Q2 FY 2020

District

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %


%

Women

Chipinge 126 66 192 66 278 482 760 37

Chirumhanzu 70 69 139 50 64 74 138 46

Gokwe

South 133 153 286 47 68 94 162 42

Gweru 9 13 22 41 5 8 13 38

Kwekwe 35 45 80 44 0 0 0 0



Table 3.3.1.4: Dairy Training by District, Q2 FY 2020

District

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %


%

Women

Umzingwane 49 38 87 56 76 62 138 55

Total 422 384 806 52 491 720 1,211 41

Source: CIRIS

Popular dairy topics included marketing; good animal husbandry practices; fodder production;

disease identification, control, and treatment; construction of cattle handling facilities; and artificial

insemination (Table 3.3.1.5). New dairy farmers received technical training on rearing a milking cow;

clean milk production; milk marketing; and disease control. In collaboration with Dairy Services and

DVS, the program facilitated the continued screening and testing of milk samples from new farmers

for quality and contagious abortion, a prerequisite to supplying raw milk to a formal market.

Table 3.3.1.5: Dairy Training by Subject, Q2 FY 2020

Subject

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %


%

Women

Animal Health 43 38 81 53 1 0 1 100

Artificial Insemination

Theory/Practical 40 28 68 59 97 99 196 49

Bull Examination 0 0 0 0 58 44 102 57

Calf Management 124 116 240 52 136 130 266 51

Disease Prevention

and Control 127 153 280 45 104 105 209 50

Disease Treatment 84 107 191 44 81 112 193 42

Feed Formulation 60 51 111 54 33 131 164 20

Fodder Production 216 193 409 53 190 314 504 38

Handling Facilities 259 226 485 53 168 160 328 51

Heat Synchronisation 0 0 0 0 8 18 26 31

Husbandry Practices 213 248 461 46 207 286 493 42

Marketing 187 155 342 55 274 421 695 39

Quality Control 58 43 101 57 230 257 487 47

Supplementary

Feeding 75 70 145 52 1 0 1 100

Urea Treatment of

Stover 21 19 40 53 3 1 4 75

Other* 85 96 181 47 153 157 310 49

*Other subjects include breeding concepts and contagious abortion testing Source: CIRIS

A total of 1,731 farmers (43 percent women) were trained on topics intended to improve

beneficiaries’ business skills, compared to 1,412 (50 percent women) in the previous quarter (Table

3.3.1.6). Chipinge district had the highest number of beneficiaries (63 percent) attending business

skills training sessions. Farmers in Chipinge district are enlisting for business training topics as they

align themselves for new income opportunities from formal milk marketing to Dairibord Zimbabwe

through village milk aggregators. There was an 86 percent increase in the number of beneficiaries

trained in business related topics in the district compared to the previous review period. The

number of beneficiaries trained in BDS related topics in the traditional dairy zones of Chirumhanzu

and Umzingwane was relatively constant as the program teams continued to deliberately intensify



and diversify program interventions on existing beneficiaries to increase program impact and

outcomes. In Gokwe South district, BDS trainings focused on accrediting and certification of existing

milk aggregators and their suppliers for formal marketing.

Business skills training and technical assistance continued to focus on:

Developing skills on enterprise budgeting; recordkeeping; group marketing; market

intelligence; and electronic banking. These skills are intended to improve beneficiaries’

planning and decision-making abilities.

Facilitating access to finance. Farmers were linked to institutions that provided working

and asset capital for inputs and farming equipment, respectively. To build good credit

history, farmers received training on credit management, group lending, banking procedures,

and electronic banking to ensure timely loan repayments.

Contract management. To minimize defaulting, farmers with formal agreements with

milk processors were trained on contract specifications to raise awareness of their

contractual obligations.

Improving market access and strengthening market linkages. Transaction costs

were reduced by linking farmer groups to input, output, and financial markets. Beef farmers

were linked directly to abattoirs and beef-dairy farmers were linked to formal markets via

village aggregators.

Table 3.3.1.6: Business Skills Training by District, Q2 FY 2020

District Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %Women Female Male Total %Women

Chipinge 324 264 588 55 443 652 1,095 40

Chirumhanzu 96 113 209 46 114 115 229 50

Gokwe

South 100 136 236 42 61 87 148 41

Gweru 38 44 82 46 12 25 37 32

Kwekwe 73 74 147 50 29 32 61 48

Umzingwane 76 74 150 51 81 80 161 50

Total 707 705 1,412 50 740 991 1,731 43

Source: CIRIS

Table 3.3.1.7 summarizes the number of beneficiaries who received business skills trainings on

various subjects, covering farmer group marketing and organization, recordkeeping, farm planning,

capacity building, contract management, and other subjects including milk pricing, village milk

aggregation, and farm investments. Group marketing and recordkeeping were the main BDS topics

followed by farmer group organization as the program focused on linking the farmers to large scale

output beef and dairy markets and to strengthen the beef-dairy and village aggregation models.

Table 3.3.1.7: Business Skills training by Subject, Q2 FY 2020

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Subject Female Male Total %


%

Women

Contract

Management 36 60 96 38 56 71 127 44

Credit Management 89 126 215 41 32 19 51 63

Farm Planning 266 214 480 55 119 108 227 52

Recordkeeping 237 303 540 44 279 334 613 46

Group Marketing 276 273 549 50 370 611 981 38



Table 3.3.1.7: Business Skills training by Subject, Q2 FY 2020

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Subject Female Male Total %


%

Women

Enterprise Budgeting 248 307 555 45 73 121 194 38

Farmer Group

Organization 222 189 411 54 155 153 308 50

Capacity Building 141 144 285 49 124 113 237 52

Bank Account

Establishment 0 1 1 0 0 4 4 0

Other* 115 155 270 43 147 149 296 50

*Other subjects include village milk aggregation, milk pricing, mechanization, and investment in potable water.

Source: CIRIS

3.3.2: Promoting Adoption of Improved Technologies and Management Practices

In collaboration with key stakeholders and through private sector partnerships, the program

continued to promote the adoption of low to no-cost GAPs and GAHPs, business practices, and

technologies that enhance production and productivity; improve natural resources management; and

increase resilience to climate shocks. Promotions, training and technical events took cognisance of a

whole farm approach and were held at lead farmer-hosted demonstration centers.



Households

practising on-farm

Treatment of their

herds

69%

Households

practising on farm

Pest Management

on their herds

and farms

36%

Grading

33%

Households

practising

Controlled

Breeding

27%

Households

practicing

Artificial

Insemination

4%

Households

routinely castrating

their herds

59%

Households

Routinely

Vaccinating

55%

Households

Routinely

Supplementary

Feeding

74%

Households Routinely

Dipping

90%

Figure 3.3.2: Adopted Livestock Management Technologies

Source: Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program Annual Household Survey

EG.3.2-24 Number of individuals in the agriculture system who have applied improved technologies or

management practices with USG assistance.

Preliminary results from the first round AHS indicate that, 96 percent of program beneficiaries

(3,875) had applied improved technologies and management practices to their agricultural

operations, which included beef and dairy enterprises compared to 97 percent in FY2019. The

survey results show that 48 percent of the adoptees were women and 20 percent youth. Adoption

rates were 95 percent and 99 percent among beef and dairy farmers respectively. High adoption

rates among dairy farmers is due to the hygienic standards required in handling raw milk to ensure

food safety and public health especially when the product is sold in formal markets.

Of the adopted technologies, 95 percent were livestock management related, which included

improved livestock breeds; improved breeding; supplementary and maintenance cattle feeding;

fodder flow planning, production, harvesting, and conservation; feed formulation; rangeland

management; appropriate livestock handling facilities; good herd health management practices

(vaccinations, deworming, dipping, and disease prevention, control, and treatment); hygienic handling

of milk (pre- and postharvest); calf management; and cattle and meat grading (See Figure 3.3.2).

The high uptake rates of GAPs and GAHPs by 3,875 farmers against a FY2020 target of 4,000 is due

to the program’s whole farm approach and continued focus on introducing low-to-no-cost but

effective technologies. In addition, linkages to both beef and dairy markets is being reinforced, which

now places value on farmer’s cattle and provides opportunities for new income sources.



Good herd health management

The program continued to collaborate with DVS, AGRITEX, producer groups, community-based

organizations, and private sector companies to improve smallholder livestock farmers’ access to

good preventative and primary herd healthcare. Focus was on providing training and technical

assistance on basic and routine herd health management practices, which include disease

identification, prevention, and treatment; vaccination; dipping; deworming; wound treatment;

dehorning; and castration. The program is encouraging farmers to be proactive on animal health

issues by taking initiative and using resources as individuals and in groups to safeguard productivity

and reduce herd mortality instead of relying on the government services, which have since collapsed.

The partnership between the program and SVP in Kwekwe and Gokwe South districts has helped

program beneficiaries to access basic animal health services for their livestock. By the end of the

review period, more than 250 households had registered their cattle herds with SVP for regular

dipping services. During the review period, SVP vaccinated more than 100 cattle against lumpy skin

and 188 goats against pulpy kidney disease. In addition, the service provider treated 300 cattle of

tickborne, metabolic and other sporadic diseases including Senkobo, botulism, anthrax as well as

Newcastle in poultry.

In Gokwe South, Midlands, the program engaged SVP to conduct the testing of milk drawn from 56

dairy cows belonging to 19 farmers of Tashinga Milk Aggregation Group for contagious abortion

(CA), a prerequisite for formal marketing of raw milk. Testing herds for CA helps to reduce

economic losses due to the resultant abortions by infected cows and rejection of milk from CA

infected animals by the processors. Suburban Veterinary Practice is collaborating with the

government regulatory arm Dairy Services, which conducts the laboratory tests.

During the quarter, 197 farmers (64 percent women) from four milk producer groups along with

members of the local milk collection center from Umzingwane, Matabeleland South, were trained on

cattle management with a focus on CA. The training was facilitated by Dr. Andrew Clark, a

volunteer under the Farmer to Farmer program, implemented by CNFA. The trainings covered

disease awareness, prevention and control, practical demonstration of sample collection, and CA

testing using a simple on-farm testing kit called the card test.

Contagious Abortion or brucellosis, is a highly contagious and zoonotic disease that can be

transmitted to humans through consumption of milk from an infected cow. Humans who consume

milk from infected cows will suffer from undulant/Malta fever and may cause miscarriages in women.

In cows, brucellosis is not curable and infected cows are usually slaughtered. The program encourages

farmers to vaccinate their female calves against CA from four to eight months old and to dispose of

affected carcasses and aborted fetuses in an appropriate way to avoid spread of the disease.


Training of sample testing using the card test kit by Doctor Andrew Clarke (left). Demonstration of blood

sample collection from a cow (right).



All photos by Fintrac

Village aggregator Douglas Masilela showing off his washing bay (left). Douglas Masilela with Dairy Services

officer during inspection for certification (right).

Hygienic handling of milk: pre- and postharvest

To achieve the program’s ultimate goal of increasing on-farm production and linking producers to

more sustainable and lucrative markets for increased incomes, the program is encouraging village

milk aggregators and smallholder farmers to work toward receiving accreditation and certification by

Dairy Services to facilitate access of their raw milk to larger processors such as Dendairy, Dairibord,

and Kershelmar.

To improve the aggregators’ preparedness and expedite the certification process, the processors’

milk development officers, and veterinary doctors provided technical assistance on clean milk

production, milk quality and hygiene, maintaining a seamless cold chain, animal health and breeding,

and delivery requirements to the aggregators before arranging an inspection of the farmer’s premises

(Text Box 3.2.1).

“We need more milk for our operations and our target is to receive at least 15,000 liters per

month from aggregators in Umzingwane. We will do everything we can to assist the farmers so that

they start delivering milk to us as soon as possible,” said Dairibord’s Milk Supply and Development

officer, Perseverance Murambakanda.

Nine village milk aggregators from Umzingwane, Gokwe South, and Chipinge districts were certified

as dairy farmers and accredited to deliver raw milk to large scale processors during the review

period.

Breeding

In both beef and dairy production, breeding is central to high yields and quality. The program

encourages farmers to improve their cattle breeds through artificial insemination or purchase of

improved breed calves, heifers, in-calf females, and bulls.

In Chipinge district, beef-dairy farmer William Pachiti purchased a seven month in-calf Red Dane-

Jersey cross heifer worth $1,200 and received a 15-month bullock worth $600 as a gift from a

reputable dairy farm, Ola dairy in Mutare. The heifer is expected to calve down in May 2020 and

increase milk yield and quality. From Ola dairy farm’s records, the heifer has a potential butter fat

content of 3.5 percent, protein content above 4 percent and an average yield of 18 liters per day.

The bullock is expected to start breeding in five months’ time – between October and November

2020 – and will help infuse quality dairy genetics in Pachiti’s herd and that of his neighbors. The

program provided the necessary technical assistance to Pachiti and other farmers across the

program site on GAHPs, primarily on the nutrition and health of the bullock and the dairy cow to



Photo by Fintrac

Chipinge beef-dairy farmer, William Pachiti choosing Red Dane-

Jersey crosses for breeding from Ola dairy farm in Mutare.

maintain high productivity. Emphasis

was also placed on how to maintain

breeding records, and to note the

time to rotate/swap or cull off the

bull to avoid inbreeding.

In Umzingwane district, five farmers

(two women) used part of the

proceeds earned in the sale of their

pen fattened cattle to procure eight

dairy crosses that include five in-calf

cows and three heifers worth

$3,550. The improved breeds were

sourced from a reputable local

farmer through program facilitation.

The program is also encouraging

both beef and dairy farmers to

adopt AI as a low-cost and

adaptable technology to improve

their breeds. The program in collaboration with private sector partners Dairibord and SVP

continued to provide technical training on AI and encouraged farmers to have the necessary cattle

handling facilities such as seclusion pens, paddocks, cattle races, adequate feed, as well as feed and

water troughs. Smallholder farmers delivering milk to Dairibord are now receiving technical

extension services, including AI services from the processor. Farmers delivering milk to Gokwe

MCC are also receiving veterinary and breeding services from AI service providers affiliated with the

center. These arrangements ensure sustainability of the breeding services long after LOP.

Wide scale adoption of the AI technology is, however, constrained by poor access to services and

inputs such as cold chain, semen, portable semen tanks and nitrogen gas to freeze the semen, long

sleeve insemination gloves and guns, lubricants, drugs for synchronizing heat, and AI service

providers. Well-developed AI service providers are in the major cities and there is need to

decentralize the AI service provision.

Handling facilities

In addition to training farmers on general animal husbandry practices, the program is encouraging

farmers to establish appropriate cattle handling facilities, which will enhance efficiency and systems

flow on the farm. The program is providing technical assistance on whole farm planning coupled with

the establishment of necessary cattle handling facilities such as cattle races, silage pits, water and feed

troughs, hay racks, hay shed, milking parlors, paddocks, milk rooms, milk cans, and wash basins.

Grazing lands in most program areas are communally managed, with very little adherence to carrying

capacity, proper grazing management, and rangeland improvement. Thus, the rangelands are

overstocked and degraded. The program continues to advise its beneficiaries to fence off their

grazing lands to reduce chances of land degradation and over grazing.

In Chipinge district, village milk aggregator Sunungurai Gadha invested $400 in fencing her 3.5-

hectare paddock for her two milking cows while her mentored farmer William Pachiti invested $320

in fencing off his 4-hectare paddock for his milking cow. Paddocks enable proper grazing

management and allow grasses to regenerate.

EG,3.2-25 Number of hectares under improved management practices or technologies with USG assistance

EG.3.2-28 Number of hectares under improved management practices or technologies that promote

improved climate risk reduction and/or natural resources management with USG assistance

Planting of short season and drought tolerant food and fodder crops; establishment of pastures and

multipurpose trees; staggered planting dates; crop genetics; dry planting of both food and fodder



crops; conservation tillage and establishing and maintaining soil and land conservation works;

investing in improved access to water, water reticulation and irrigation systems, were some of the

good agronomic, cultural, soil and fertility conservation practices adopted by farmers as measures

for improved climate risk reduction to improve household and livestock food security.

Results from the preliminary first round AHS indicate that 2,452 beneficiaries (50 percent women)

were applying improved management practices to more than 6,000 hectares of their farmland. Of

this area, 54 percent (3,289 hectares) was under the control of female beneficiaries. Climate

adaptation technologies and management practices were applied on 2,200 hectares of their farmland

while climate mitigation practices were on 1,500 hectares.

Fodder flow planning, production, harvesting, and conservation

The program continued to promote behavior change to dispel the traditional notion that cattle and

other livestock will fend for themselves, even during the lean season and drought years. With good

quality and adequate fodder, beneficiary farmers can supplement their cattle during the dry period.

This enables cattle to have enough nutrition throughout the year to sustain breeding, healthy body

condition scores, and milk production. Failure to provide adequate nutrition results in low calving

percentages, low milk yields, and unhealthy animals succumbing to poverty related deaths, as well as

degradation of the rangeland due to overgrazing.

The late rains received in mid-January 2020

after the prolonged dry period enabled

farmers to replant some of the failed food

and fodder crops and pastures. Re-planted

fodder crops included velvet bean, sunn

hemp, pearl millet, and forage sorghum. The

program advised farmers to stagger planting

dates as well as diversifying the crop mix to

include drought tolerant fodder crops such

as pearl millet, sunn hemp and short season

cowpea varieties. The erratic rains resulted

in poor crop emergence and performance.

Regardless of the general poor perfomance

of both food and fodder crops, farmers

across program sites have already started

harvesting and stockpiling for the lean

season.

For those farmers who planted drought-

tolerant crops such as pearl millet, sugar

graze, velvet bean, and sunn hemp, the crops

were doing well as the late rains helped to boost plant vigor. Despite the poor rainfall season, pearl

millet performed well and farmers were able to use it to prepare silage and reserve some for

household food.

During the quarter, 2,553 farmers across the program areas planted 2,469 hectares of different

fodder crops with velvet bean, maize silage, and pearl millet being the most planted crops. On

average, each of these farmers planted one hectare of fodder.

To facilitate the sustainability of the forage production culture in all program areas, the program

established seed bulking plots in all districts. Drought tolerant crops including velvet bean, sunn

hemp, pearl millet, and sugar graze were planted in these seed bulking plots. Results of the first

round of the AHS show that 665 beneficiary farmers from Chipinge, Chirumhanzu, and Umzingwane

districts participated in fodder seed production.

Photo by Fintrac

Beef-dairy farmer Tichaona Moyana of Birirano village,

Ward 4, Chipinge district showing his forage sorghum.



In Chipinge district, 24 seed-bulking and commercialization centers (50 percent women-owned)

were established on 17 hectares. Farmers established different forage crops for seed bulking with

velvet bean (12.2 hectares) being the most dominant. The seed bulking centers are expected to

produce 9.4 tons of velvet bean, 0.2 tons of sunn hemp, and 3.7 tons of pearl millet seed. The seed

will be sold to other farmers across the country in the next cropping season. This will improve

access to forage seed by smallholder farmers. In Zimbabwe, commercial forage seed houses are

poorly established and hence access to forage seed is one of the challenges faced by most livestock

farmers.

High nutritional grasses such as Sabi Panicum and Bracheria species are abundantly available across all

program operational districts and farmers were encouraged to harvest and preserve the grasses as

hay for lean season cattle supplementary feeding. Good quality hay also contributes to high butterfat

in raw milk. With most village milk aggregators now selling to large processors, hay has become an

important feed component for increasing returns. The program recommends feeding good quality

hay ad libitum to lactating cows for increased milk butterfat content. The program is encouraging all

program beneficiaries to harvest adequate hay to allow at least one ton of hay per lactating cow at a

feeding rate of 5 kilograms per cow per day for a 240-day lactation period. In Gokwe South district,

beef-dairy farmer Joyce Mangena harvested 30 tons (50 bales x 600 kilograms) of Bracheria rangeland

hay for feeding her dairy cows during the lean season.

In anticipation of a prolonged lean season, the program is encouraging farmers to stockpile hay from

the rangeland and crop residues from maize, wheat, sugar cane trash, and small grains. The program,

in partnership with Windmill P/L, will be training farmers on the use of Mabiko K, a urea-based feed

additive to ensile and improve the nutritional quality of these poor-quality roughages during the last

quarter of FY2020.

3.3.3 Increasing Investment in Agricultural Assets and Technologies

Increased investment is the predominate source of economic growth in the agricultural sector.

Private sector investment is critical because it indicates that the investment is perceived to provide a

positive financial return and therefore is likely to lead to sustainable increases in agricultural

production and productivity.

The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program engages and collaborates with

private commercial companies to ensure the building of sustainable business relationships among

value chain actors. Private sector partners are engaged to finance some developmental facets of the

value chain such as technical days to showcase new technologies.

The program also encourages farmers to invest in productive assets for increased production and

productivity. During the review period, 166 program participants (52 percent women) received

training and technical assistance on how to make sound investments in the agricultural sector

compared to 116 trainees (56 percent women) in the previous quarter.

The program continued to work with various formal and informal financial institutions to increase

access to credit by farmers and value chain players. During the review period, the program facilitated

farmer engagements with Dairibord, Gokwe MCC, and PPLS groups. The prevailing harsh economic

conditions characterized by high inflation, as well as inconsistent and unfavorable fiscal and monetary

policies have resulted in many financial institutions holding back on new credit disbursements.

EG.3.1-14 Value of new USG commitments and private sector investment leveraged by the USG to support

food security and nutrition

During the review period, farmers and the private sector continued to leverage on USG

commitments made in previous quarters and invested $7,007 in milk room construction, chillers,

milking parlors, digital scales, and security fences to improve the production and productivity of their

farms and businesses. These investments were made by 11 village aggregators (55 percent women)

in Chipinge, Gokwe South, and Umzingwane districts. The amount of USG commitments disbursed

in the previous quarter and the co-investments by the private sector (village milk aggregators) in the

first two quarters of FY 2020 amount to $124,137 against an annual target of $150,000.



LD 18 Number of individuals who have invested in agriculture as a result of USG assistance

LD 19 Value of individual investments made in agriculture as a result of USG assistance

The program continued to encourage beneficiaries to use part of their proceeds from cattle and milk

sales to invest in assets such as breeding cows and heifers; bulls; hay sheds; milking sheds; milking

cans; boreholes; water pumps and related irrigation equipment; deep wells; improved pastures;

water reservoirs; fencing; chaff cutters; milk chillers; and cattle handling facilities among other crucial

assets for increased production efficiencies.

Preliminary results from the first round Annual Household Survey indicate that 1,755 beneficiaries

(44 percent women) across the six focus districts made investments in these agricultural assets and

technologies worth $1.19 million during the first half of FY2020 against annual targets of 1,370

beneficiaries with a value of $1 million8. Investments made by women were 37 percent of the total

value.

During the quarter, 1,301 beef farmers (42 percent women) invested $750,600 while 458 dairy

farmers (48 percent women) invested $436,231. The majority of the investment was made by

farmers in Chipinge (42 percent), Chirumhanzu (20 percent), and Gokwe South (15 percent) with

the remainder spread across Gweru, Kwekwe, and Umzingwane. Beef farmers are now cognizant of

the benefits of investing in more breeding heifers and cows as this ensures sustained herd growth

and production of surplus animals for sale.

Investments by dairy farmers were in breeding heifers, farm infrastructure, and dairy equipment as

more farmers make long term plans to participate and supply the formal markets. The beef-dairy and

village aggregation models have opened opportunities to once marginalized farmers to participate in

formal milk markets at low entry costs and enjoy new streams of regular income. The opportunities

for new income have rekindled efforts to invest in GAPs, GAHPs, and technologies that enhance

production and productivity, considering that the country is producing only 50 percent of the

national milk requirement.

3.3.4 Increasing Access to Finance and Credit

Access to credit and finance is essential for commercialization of smallholder beef and dairy farmers

as it enables farmers to invest in technologies and management systems that increase production and

meet market standards (quality and safety) leading to increased incomes and food security.

The lack of access to financial capital is frequently cited as a major impediment to the development

of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), thus helping MSMEs access finance is likely to

increase investment and the value of output (production in the case of farmers; and value added for

agricultural processing). This will directly contribute to the expansion of markets, increased

agricultural productivity, and reduction in the prevalence of poverty.

Facilitating access to financial loans for a diverse range of players within the focus value chains will

provide improved access to business development and financial services. This in turn will help

expand agricultural production, markets, and trade, which will help achieve the key objective of

inclusive agriculture sector growth. In turn, this contributes to goals of reducing both poverty and

hunger.

Tracking the amount and flow of capital loans to diverse players along the beef and dairy value chains

help in determining the direction and level of investment and capital formation, essential attributes

for economic growth.

8 These results which will be verified by the second round of the Annual Household Survey in August 2020 show that the

program is on course to meet its annual targets.



EG.4.2-7 Number of individuals participating in group-based savings, micro-finance or lending programs with

USG assistance

The program facilitated 35 beef and dairy farmers (49 percent women) from Chipinge, Gokwe

South, and Gweru districts to access agriculture-related credit worth $2,624 during the review

period.

In Chipinge, nine beef farmers (78 percent women) accessed $282 from Shingai and Dzidzai PPLS

groups to finance infrastructural development and purchasing stock feed.

Gokwe MCC extended loans worth $1,692 (33 percent received by women) to 22 farmers (32

percent women). The loans were mainly used for financing stock feed purchases.

Four program beneficiaries who delivered raw milk to Dairibord in Gweru district during the

quarter received loans worth $651 from the company to finance the purchase of stock feed and fuel.

EG.3.2-27 Value of agriculture – related financing accessed as result of USG assistance

The total value of loans accessed by 35 farmers (49 percent women) from Dairibord, PPLS groups,

and Gokwe MCC was $2,624. Women borrowers received $1,411 or 54 percent of the total loan

value. The loans were used mainly to finance working capital in beef and dairy value chains.

LD 8 Percent of beneficiaries borrowing at least once to finance the purchase of livestock or other capital

investments

During the quarter, two farmers from Chipinge district, Cannias Sautai Sigauke and Angeline Garwe

accessed $67 from Shingai PPLS toward financing infrastructural development. The number and

proportion of farmers accessing credit for the purchase of livestock and other capital investment

remains subdued at 6 percent due to the hyperinflationary environment where financiers shun

extending long-term loans due to inherent risk associated with long-term funding coupled with

inconsistent macroeconomic policies.

3.4 IMPROVING NUTRITION AND HYGIENE STATUS

Nutrition and hygiene-related behavior change

activities were integrated in the livestock

technical trainings to ensure improved

nutritional and health outcomes of beneficiary

beef and dairy farmers. The activities focused

on improving the utilization of nutritious

foods; increasing the prevalence of

breastfeeding; improving infant feeding

practices as well as good hygiene and

sanitation practices. Activities and results

achieved under each component during the

review period are summarized below.

3.4.1 Improving Household Utilization of

Nutritious Foods

A total of 1,609 beneficiaries (45 percent

women) across the six operational districts

participated in program facilitated nutrition

training and activities during the review period

(Table 3.4.1). Activities targeted to reinforce

and maintain good nutrition behaviors for better health among program beneficiaries. These included

training on consumption of at least five food groups; establishing diverse kitchen gardens containing

at least three food groups (green leafy vegetables, vitamin A rich orange fleshed vegetables, and

other vegetables or legumes); planting and caring for multi-purpose fruit trees; and rearing of at least

one small livestock species for improving intake of fleshy foods, organ meat, and eggs. Daily

Photo by Fintrac

Constance Makeche of Tagarika village, Chirumhanzu

district demonstrating low-cost solar drying of okra at

a food preservation demonstration. The transparent

polythene paper creates a greenhouse effect and has

holes on the sides for eliminating moisture.



consumption of milk was also recommended, with farmers being encouraged to set aside some milk

for household consumption prior to sales. Results from the first round of the AHS indicate that 88

percent of beneficiary households were consistently consuming at least five out of nine food groups.

Table 3.4.1 Nutrition Trainings by District, Q2 FY 2020

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

District Female Male Total %


%

Wome

n

Chipinge 225 161 386 58 399 574 973 41

Chirumhanzu 93 108 201 46 113 97 210 54

Gokwe

South 48 57 105 46 23 16 39 59

Gweru 147 133 280 53 115 138 253 45

Kwekwe 78 78 156 50 22 18 40 55

Umzingwane 80 55 135 59 52 42 94 55

Total 671 592 1,263 53 724 885 1,609 45

Source: CIRIS

During the review period, 900 farmers (47 percent women) across the six operational districts

participated in trainings on food groups, which included practical cooking demonstrations using

various food groups in meals containing milk. Locally available on-farm produce such as beans,

pumpkins, sweet-potatoes, cowpeas, maize, vegetables, and eggs were used in the demonstrations.

The program provided training and technical assistance to 751 farmers (50 percent women) on

setting up and maintaining diverse cropping programs in nutrition gardens during the review period.

Technical assistance included making proper beds with acceptable dimensions; agronomic practices

on growing diverse vegetables and the use of PERSUAP-compliant herbicides and pesticides. Farmers

were encouraged to establish at least three food groups in their garden (green leafy vegetables,

orange fleshed vitamin A rich vegetables, and other vegetables or legumes) to ensure consistent

diverse household diets. Vegetables such as spinach, rape, kale, carrots, butternuts, okra, tomatoes,

onions, and sweet potatoes were recommended.

Farmers’ investments in water play a crucial role in improving access to diverse foods for household

consumption as this enables successful and uninterrupted production of staple foods and vegetables.

The program is promoting maximization of production on small pieces of land using irrigable maize

plots termed “Pfumvudza.” 9 (See Textbox 3.4.1).

Farmers received technical assistance on establishment and maintenance of multi-purpose trees,

including fruit trees, to improve household dietary diversity. Fruits increase the nutritional quality of

local diets, mostly due to their micronutrients (mineral and vitamins), and macronutrients (protein

and, carbohydrates).

9 Pfumvudza is a farming approach based on key principles of conservation farming for higher yields. Smallholder farmers

are encouraged to establish smaller plots which they can easily manage at high standards to ensure improved yields.



Textbox 3.4.1: Irrigable Maize Plots for Food Security

To ensure beneficiaries are food secure, the program is

promoting maximization of production on small pieces of land

using irrigable maize plots termed “Pfumvudza.” The plots

measure 16m x 40m and are established within the homestead

with crops grown for household consumption. From the plot,

the family is expected to harvest as much as a ton of maize,

enough to last them to the next farming season. Farmers such as

Mirriam Saineti, Precious Makuyana, and William Pachiti of

Chipinge district have thriving pfumvudza maize plots which they

irrigated during the quarter, and are expecting a good harvest.

Increased water availability has also allowed for uninterrupted

vegetable production utilizing windows of time that traditionally

were not feasible. This, along with adoption of improved seeds,

is likely to triple farmers’ income in addition to improving

household dietary diversity.

The program encouraged establishment of combinations of indigenous and exotic tree species for

year round access to nutritious fruits to fill specific food insecure periods and nutrient gaps.

To date, approximately 2,727 trees and herbaceous plants were established by 100 farmers (54

percent women) in Chipinge district. Of these, 50 percent are fruit trees, 45 percent are fodder, and

5 percent are ornamental trees. The trees and herbaceous plants include mulberry, banana, mango,

musau, mupanda, munyii, guavas as well as the Chipinge vine. Across all program areas, 3,413 multi-

purpose trees and 250 banana plants were established during the review period.

Farmers were encouraged to preserve and stockpile vegetables and fruits for the lean period taking

advantage of the abundant supply of seasonal vegetables from the wild and their fields. Farmers

received technical assistance on safe methods of preserving various fruits and vegetables. Methods

demonstrated include blanching,

solar drying, and salting, among

others.

During the period under review,

the program provided technical

assistance on good husbandry

practices for increasing production

and productivity of goats, rabbits,

and chickens. Farmers were also

encouraged to grow crops such as

pearl millet not only for cattle

fodder but to also provide grain for

chicken and other small livestock.

Small livestock provide fleshy foods

and vitamin rich organ meat at low

cost.

In Chipinge district, 20 beneficiary households from Mwacheta area vaccinated 2,000 chickens against

Newcastle disease with technical assistance from the program.


Mirriam Saineti from Chipinge, Manicaland in her “Pfumvudza maize plot” irrigated with water from her

borehole (left). Nkosana Nyirenda from Umzingwane, Matabeleland South in his nutrition garden (right).



3.4.2 Child health and Nutrition

During the review period, 774 unique farmers (41 percent female) received child health and

nutrition messages covering infant and young child feeding (IYCF), immunization including vitamin A

supplementation, as well as maternal health and breastfeeding (Table 3.4.2.1). Program child health

and nutrition messages often targeted households with infants.

Table 3.4.2.1: Child Health and Nutrition Training by District, Q2 FY 2020

District Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total % Women Female Male Total % Women

Chipinge 0 0 0 0 248 418 666 37

Chirumhanzu 25 34 59 42 34 23 57 60

Gokwe

South 39 38 77 51 3 2 5 60

Gweru 64 29 93 69 1 1 2 50

Kwekwe 59 56 115 51 8 2 10 80

Umzingwane 38 17 55 69 22 12 34 65

Total 225 174 399 56 316 458 774 41

Source: CIRIS

Improving Exclusive Breastfeeding and Infant Feeding

During the review period, 157 farmers (29 percent women) received breastfeeding messages, which

included encouraging exclusive breastfeeding of all babies below six months of age and providing

support to nursing mothers (Table 3.4.2.2). Breastfeeding was encouraged together with

complementary feeding from six months of age onwards. In addition, the program provided technical

assistance on proper latching on as well as timing and frequency of breastfeeding. Results from the

first round of the AHS indicate high levels of exclusive breastfeeding (100 percent) among nursing

mothers with children aged six months and below.

Maternal health in relation to breastfeeding, family planning and maternal nutrition were topics also

discussed with the farmers, for women of reproductive age. Healthy eating habits were encouraged

among this group of women to ensure healthier pregnancy outcomes and to break the malnutrition

cycle. The first round of AHS results indicate that 80 percent of program beneficiary women of

reproductive age regularly consume a diet of minimum diversity.

Key messages on immunization as well as growth monitoring were shared. Regular checks on child

health card for growth patterns and immunization status (including vitamin A supplementation) were

also ways used to assist caregivers of infants.

Table 3.4.2.2: Child Health and Nutrition Training by Subject, Q2 FY 2020

Subject Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total % Women Female Male Total % Women

Breastfeeding 132 88 220 60 45 112 157 29

Growth

Monitoring 97 65 162 60 126 213 339 37

Infant Feeding 134 126 260 52 117 53 170 69

Maternal Health 103 106 209 49 177 161 338 52

Immunization 91 51 142 64 35 25 60 58

Source: CIRIS



Photo by Fintrac

Emilia Mugura of Chirumhanzu district

showcasing her newly constructed toilet.

Messaging was targeted to all family members, including men to encourage support for women

during breastfeeding and childcare.

Prevalence of children 6-23 months receiving a minimum acceptable diet

During the review period, 170 farmers (69 percent women) (Table 3.4.2.2) were trained on infant

feeding covering age appropriate food; quantity of food; diversity of food; and meal frequency.

Practical cooking demonstrations showcasing nutrient dense meals were used to encourage mothers

to include more food groups in children’s diets; introduce more alternatives for children to help

increase number and frequency of meals, and practice good hygiene practices when handling and

feeding infants and young children. Development of recipes using milk in various foods has gone a

long way in supporting infant feeding among farmers and improving milk consumption among

children below 24 months. The first round of the FY2020 AHS results indicate a high proportion (74

percent) of infants and young children in program households currently consume a minimum

acceptable diet.

3.4.3. Improving Hygiene Behaviors

Hygiene awareness, trainings and technical assistance target the whole family. During the review

period, 1,669 farmers (46 percent female) participated in program facilitated WASH activities (Table

3.4.3).

To measure improvement in hygiene behavior, the program tracks progress on six hygiene behaviors

among beneficiary households i.e. hand washing

with cleansing agent at four critical moments; hand

washing stations with cleansing agent and water

within 10 paces of latrines; disposal of solid

household waste in protected pits; use of

recommended water treatment/purification

technologies; storage of drinking water in safe

containers; and disposal of all feces including the

children’s in a toilet/latrine. . Households

consistently practicing at least four of these six

behaviors are regarded as exhibiting good hygiene

practices.

The FY2020 AHS results indicate a high degree of

good hygienic practices among program

beneficiaries with 93 percent consistently

practicing at least four out of the six

Table 3.4.3: WASH Trainings by District, Q2 FY 2020

District

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %

Women Female Male Total % Women

Chipinge 227 187 414 55 337 478 815 41

Chirumhanzu 78 101 179 44 108 110 218 50

Gokwe South 46 50 96 48 81 84 165 49

Gweru 155 141 296 52 116 138 254 46

Kwekwe 77 86 163 47 41 34 75 55

Umzingwane 32 21 53 60 77 65 142 54

Total 615 586 1,201 51 760 909 1,669 46

Source: CIRIS



recommended behaviors.

Encouraging Disposal of all feces including the children’s in a toilet/latrine

During the review period, 1,043 beneficiaries received training and technical assistance on human

waste disposal. This included raising awareness on the adverse effects of open defecation; the need

for household sanitation facilities to dispose human waste to reduce incidences of human and

livestock diseases and clean milk production among dairy farmers. The program continued to

encourage the construction of low-cost, simple, upgradable toilet structures to ensure rapid and

spontaneous behavior change and adoption of the practice among beneficiaries. Upgrading of toilet

structures to Blair or pit latrines continued throughout the six operational districts as farmers

invested part of their increased incomes from beef and dairy value chains. Results from the first

round of the FY2020 AHS indicate that 95 percent of beneficiary households have functional toilets.

Encouraging handwashing with detergent at 5 critical moments (before preparing food, before eating, after

toilet use, after removing diapers, before milking)

The program encourages handwashing with

detergent at five critical moments.

Construction of handwashing stations 10

paces from the toilet structures, at the

milking parlor as well as dishwashing stations

was encouraged.

During the review period, 936 farmers

participated in activities promoting good

handwashing practices. The FY2020 AHS

results indicate that 77 percent of beneficiary

households had functional handwashing

stations with detergents, a positive step

toward good behavior change. However,

only 54 percent of households were

consistently practicing handwashing at the

five critical moments, albeit an increase from

35 percent in FY 2019.

Continued technical assistance in liquid soap making has facilitated the uptake of handwashing with a

detergent among beneficiaries.

In addition to the above, the program calls for integrated dairy and WASH practices to ensure good

quality milk. Commercial dairy farming through the beef-dairy model has driven improved hygiene

practices as this requires good hygienic handling and practices pre and postharvesting of raw milk,

thus good hygienic practices around the whole farm to minimize contamination of milk.

Encouraging the use of safe sources of drinking water and recommended water treatment/purification

technologies

Farmers were urged to invest in safe sources of water for livestock as well as improved hygiene and

sanitation in the home. Beneficiaries were also encouraged to treat drinking water using simple

methods such as boiling and using aqua tablets to safeguard their families from cholera and other

water-borne diseases. Safe containers for storage of water for household use were encouraged.

3.5 IMPROVING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

Partnerships with providers of finance and credit; market actors; other service providers and

development practitioners are a key part of the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development

program’s approach to commercialization of small-scale farmers. Engaging commercial companies

ensures market-led program interventions and cost-shared alliances to deliver products and services.

The strategy is to engage private sector partners to not only purchase product or supply inputs, but

Photo by Fintrac

Silinganiso Bhebhe of Chirumhanzu district testing a

newly installed handwashing facility.



also to finance some developmental facets of the value chain. Buyers, input suppliers, and finance

institutions have in-house expertise in beef and dairy production, quality standards, and market

specifications that they can transfer to smallholder producers.

Through Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and explanations of mutual benefit, some of the

buyers and input suppliers listed in Annexes 3 and 4 transacted with Feed the Future Zimbabwe

Livestock Development program beneficiaries in target districts during the review period.

The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program’s contract includes a component

to build the capacity of local organizations to effectively implement USAID-funded agricultural

development activities. Such organizations include LEAD Trust and other organizations partnering

with both the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Crop Development and Feed the Future Zimbabwe

Livestock Development programs.

Other capacity development support was provided to milk collection centres working with program

beneficiaries; village milk aggregators; small scale milk processors; farmer groups; and ISALs/PPLS.

Results on the specific capacity development activities carried out with these partner organizations

are detailed below.

LD 36 Number of for-profit private enterprises, producer organizations, water users' associations, women's

groups, trade and business associations, and community-based organizations (CBOs) receiving USG food

security related organizational development assistance

During the period under review, 24 organizations/associations received regular trainings and

technical assistance to build their capacity to manage key business functions. The organizations

included eight village milk aggregators, five women groups, one private enterprise, nine producer

group including feedlots, and one Water User Association. Training and technical assistance focused

on business and leadership skills; planning (budgeting, action planning, and financial accounting); and

marketing (collective input procurement and product consolidation). The highlights of the outcome

from these trainings are summarized below:

Village Milk Aggregators – Eight village milk aggregators from Gokwe South, Chipinge,

Chirumhanzu, Umzingwane, and Gweru received technical assistance on clean milk

production; quality control; group marketing; producer database management;

recordkeeping; and budgeting. The milk aggregators also received technical assistance on

hygienic handling of milk, mobilizing suppliers for high milk volumes and proper maintenance

of their cold chain facilities and equipment.

Women groups – The program worked with five women groups focusing on improving their

business skills through technical assistance on establishing bank accounts for online banking,

marketing, and negotiation skills. The groups have been empowered to respond to the

prevailing hyperinflation and have resorted to saving and lending money in foreign currency,

which are relatively stable compared to the local currency.

Private Enterprise (SVP) – The program continued to assist SVP to align its operations to the

program and intensify its engagement with smallholder beef and dairy farmers in Gokwe

South and Kwekwe districts to improve farmers’ access to veterinary services.

Producer groups – Nine producer groups including feedlots received trainings on

performance analysis of their feedlots, enterprise budgeting controls, profitable investment,

and group marketing. The program is encouraging adoption of good financial management

practices using simple cost-benefit analysis tools to ensure sustainability of their operations.

Water User Association (Mawunganidze Irrigation Committee) – The program provided

operational assistance to new and old committee members of Mawunganidze irrigation

scheme covering leadership positions and their roles, conflict management, recordkeeping

(including taking meeting minutes), budgeting (gross margin and cash flow analysis), and

corporate governance issues.



4. ENVIRONMENT

The program continued to promote strategies that help beneficiary farmers cope with climate

change and ensure environmental sustainability. Interventions promoted include but were not limited

to tree and fodder planting and maintenance; rangeland management; safe use of chemicals and safe

disposal of chemical containers; fly control; control of noxious plants; and soil conservation. In

addition, the program encouraged farmers to invest in production and productivity-enhancing low-

cost renewable and clean sources of energy. Key highlights are summarized below.

Tree planting: The program promoted the

establishment and maintenance of

orchards/woodlots as they contribute toward

food security; stabilize the soil; prevent

erosion; and enhance the soil’s edaphic

characteristics. More than 6,000 multipurpose

trees were planted in and around 400

beneficiary homesteads across the six

operational districts during the review period.

Trees planted include Flamboyant, Leucaena,

mulberry, cacti, avocado, guava, peach,

Eucalyptus, citrus, mango, Faidherbia, musawu,

munyii, acacia, litchis, sugar plum and Chipinge

vine.

Rotational overnight or moveable pens:

Foot rot disease has been a major challenge for

program beneficiaries during the rainy season, as cattle are confined in muddy overnight pens. The

program has been proactive in advising farmers to construct three cross-sectional, overnight, and

moveable pens ahead of the rainy season. These pens enable cattle to be rotated to different

sections where mud is minimal. Rotational overnight pens were promoted in all program areas to

ensure cattle were more comfortable and less susceptible to foot rot. In addition, moveable pens

help break the fly breeding cycle and minimize foul odors that characterize overnight pens under

muddy conditions.

Rangeland management: Rangelands account for more than 90 percent of livestock feed in most

program focus areas. The program conducted rangeland management trainings focusing on

improving production and productivity by addressing issues of overstocking through purposeful

culling, uncontrolled fires, deforestation, bush encroachment, and soil erosion.

Safe use of chemicals and safe disposal of chemical containers: Beneficiary farmers were

encouraged to continue using PERSUAP-compliant chemicals on their crops and livestock as well as

wearing adequate personal protective equipment when handling chemicals. In addition, farmers were

implored to store chemicals in clearly labelled containers in locked rooms out of reach from

children and dispose all used chemical containers correctly as per the PERSUAP guidelines.

Fly control: With the increase in commercial dairying among program beneficiaries, it has become

mandatory to install and maintain functional fly traps in overnight pens, milking parlors, calf pens, and

around homesteads. The program trained farmers in making low-cost but effective fly traps using a

2-liter plastic container, which is cut and mounted at strategic positions with decomposing matter

inside to attract and trap flies. Fly control is one of the basic hygienic requirements for dairy farmers.

Soil erosion: The program continued to raise awareness on soil erosion and methods of mitigating

it. Farmers took heed of the program advice and up scaled the planting of star, kuchi, and vetiver

grasses on contours and water ways; maintenance of contour ridges; and rehabilitation of gullies

through packing with brushwood and rocks to slow down the flow of water. Beneficiaries also

Photo by Fintrac

Chipinge farmers Precious Makuyana and her

husband Thinkmore Sithole tending to their newly

established 44 banana plants.



planted a variety of multi-purpose trees and pastures along water ways and slopes to combat soil

erosion.

4.1 TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

The program trained 1,344 farmers (42 percent women) on environmental subjects during the

review period compared to 1,172 (53 percent women) in the previous quarter. The most popular

subjects related to climate change; woodlot or orchard establishment; safe use of chemicals and

disposal of chemical containers; and use of adequate and appropriate PPEs when handling chemicals

(Table 4.1.1).

Table 4.1.1: Environment Training by Subject, Q2 FY2020

Subject

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY2020

Female Male Total %


%

Female

Afforestation 11 6 17 65 2 1 3 67

Climate Change 182 173 355 51 278 516 794 35

Personal

Protective

Equipment

215 229 444 48 168 193 361 47

Pollution 17 22 39 44 8 10 18 44

Safe Disposal of

Chemicals 399 350 749 53 214 278 492 43

Soil Erosion 10 10 20 50 38 42 80 48

Woodlot/Orchard

Establishment 116 123 239 49 249 245 494 50

Other10 0 0 0 0 9 12 21 43

Source: Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program CIRIS

4.2 EMMP

The program monitored a randomly selected sample of 80 farmers (55 beef and 25 dairy) to assess

for EMMP compliance compared with 137 farmers (45 dairy and 92 beef) in the previous quarter.11

The sampled farms were assessed their environmental compliance on activities related to animal

husbandry, animal health, and animal handling facilities. The following sections summarize the findings

from the assessments.

4.2.1 Animal Husbandry Activities

Table 4.2.1: Animal Husbandry Activities

Activity

%

Baseline

Practice-

Beef

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Beef

% Q2

FY2020

Practice-

Beef

% Baseline

Practice-

Dairy

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Dairy

% Q2

FY2020

Practice-

Dairy

Is soil erosion a problem? 46 24 18 29 16 16

Are there signs of land

degradation/overgrazing? 68 48 40 47 60 40

Are there signs of

deforestation? 56 36 36 35 64 48

Is grazing management being

practiced? 26 81 80 20 73 80

10 21 farmers were trained in safe use pesticides. 11 Data collection on the targeted sample of 137 farmers was hindered by restricted field travels in the wake of COVID-19.



Does the farmer have a

woodlot/tree planting area? 9 80 87 47 80 84

Source: Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program Survey

The program’s continued approach to integrating environmental and natural resource management

issues with technical training and assistance has been instrumental in improving environmental

management by beneficiaries at household and community levels. Results show significant

improvements in woodlot/tree planting area, consistent with anecdotal information reported above.

In Chipinge district, the program continued collaborating with Green Fuel P/L in encouraging farmers

to collect five trees each from their nursery for planting. The nursery has indigenous as well as fruit

and fodder trees.

During the review period, farmers across the six districts took advantage of the natural rains and

planted more than 3,600 multipurpose trees around their homesteads. The most common trees

planted across the operational areas were cacti, leucaena, and mulberry. Over 1,500 fruit trees were

also established during the review period, enhancing household nutrition in the future (See Annex 1:

Multipurpose Trees Accrue Increased Dividends for Smallholders).

Deforestation remained low across the beef and dairy areas sampled. In addition, results show

reduced incidences of soil erosion and land degradation, an indication that beneficiaries are taking

heed of the program’s trainings on sustainable environmental and resource management. Incessant

rains received during February 2020 across all program districts resulted in reinvigorated rangelands

and contributing significantly to reduced land degradation and soil erosion.

4.2.2 Animal Health Activities

Beneficiaries are realizing the economic value of their herd and are taking a proactive role in

maintaining a healthy herd as shown by the high and consistent use of dips and chemicals at farm

level (Table 4.2.2). The program continued with its refresher trainings and technical assistance to

farmers on proper acaricide administration and other drug use through animal health groups and on-

farm demonstrations, hence the significant increase in trained applicators who are farmers

administering drugs and chemicals to their herds and fodder crops and trees.

Table 4.2.2: Animal Health Activities

Activity

% Baseline

Practice-

Beef

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Beef

% Q2

FY2020

Practice-

Beef

% Baseline

Practice-

Dairy

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Dairy

% Q2

FY2020

Practice-

Dairy

Farmers using

dips/chemical remedies? 100 97 100 94 100 100

Farmers or institutions

using appropriate

techniques and equipment?

78 96 100 82 98 96


with PPEs and use it when

spraying?

58 96 100 65 96 92


engaging a trained

applicator?

5 61 64 20 76 60


with chemicals or spraying

equipment locked and in

labelled containers?

67 97 98 56 96 100


disposing chemical

containers, injections, and

plastics correctly?

76 93 95 65 98 100



Activity

% Baseline

Practice-

Beef

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Beef

% Q2

FY2020

Practice-

Beef

% Baseline

Practice-

Dairy

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Dairy

% Q2

FY2020

Practice-

Dairy


using pesticides that are

PERSUAP compliant?

83 92 95 82 91 100


This cost-cutting measure has resulted in a slight drop in the proportion of farmers or institutions

hiring trained applicators to administer chemicals in dairy areas. Refresher trainings, some of which

were conducted over the phone, via WhatsApp platforms due to restricted field presence as a

measure to combat COVID-19, have resulted in significantly high numbers of farmers using

PERSUAP-compliant pesticides, keeping them in locked and in labelled containers, wearing PPEs

when spraying, and disposing chemical containers, injections, and plastics properly.12

4.2.3 Animal Handling Facilities

Farmers regard the security of their livestock to be the highest priority when deciding where to

locate overnight pens. Increased incidences of cattle theft in some areas has resulted in farmers

constructing handling facilities close to homesteads for easy monitoring. In turn, the program has

encouraged farmers to construct channels that divert effluent from the facilities away from

homesteads especially in during the rainy season and erect fly traps.

Table 4.2.3: Animal Handling Facilities

Activity

% Baseline

Practice-

Beef

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Beef

% Q2

FY2020

Practice-

Beef

% Baseline

Practice-

Dairy

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Dairy

% Q1

FY2020

Practice-

Dairy

Farmers with handling

facilities site >30m from

dwellings

86 82 87 87 80 80


with water runoff from

facilities diverted away

from dwellings

95 98 100 93 100 100

Farmers/institutes with

water source (borehole,

well) >30m from livestock

facilities

95 98 96 92 93 96

Farmers/Institutions with

separate access to water

for humans and animals

75 99 98 46 100 100

Farmers/Institutions with

area around water source

degraded

32 32 42 23 22 40

Farmers/ using fly traps 5 60 65 7 78 84


The program is encouraging farmers to invest in water (deep wells and boreholes) at the household

level for home use and water for their animals. In dairy areas, it is common for farmers to site their

deep wells and boreholes close to handling facilities to reduce the amount of labor. The program is

instituting some mitigation measures to reduce contamination, which include the construction of

12 Farmers rinse any used container with water; perforate the container to render it useless for any purpose before burying

the containers in a pit, one meter deep, away from water bodies and homesteads.



storm drains to direct all runoff water away from the deep wells and protecting the wells by fencing

them off and installing a cover. Increased investment in water and watering troughs at household and

community level has improved separate access to water for humans and animals and reduced

incidences of land degradation around the water points.

With the dry period continuing to the end of January 2020 in most program areas, livestock were

being watered from the same sources where households were drinking from, resulting in increases

in land degradation around community water sources primarily caused by animal traffic around the

sources. Farmers and communities were encouraged to distance livestock structures including water

troughs to more than 30m away from the water source to avoid contamination of the water source

through seepage.

There has been an increase in the proportion of both beef and dairy farmers that have functional fly

traps. It is a prerequisite for dairy farmers producing and selling milk to formal markets including

village milk aggregators to have regularly serviced fly traps for a hygienic milking environment. The

program is encouraging farmers to continue servicing fly traps year-round.



5. GENDER

The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program promotes gender equality and the

empowerment of women and youth in beef and dairy value chains. The program continued to

empower women and youth beneficiaries through training on gender and youth inclusion, farming as

a family business and technical skills that increase production and productivity of their livestock

enterprises. The program collaborated with local government authorities, village health workers and

AGRITEX officers to raise awareness on COVID-19 among beneficiary households.

During the reporting period, the program reached out to 2,391 beneficiary farmers. Of these, 46

percent were women and 18 percent were youth aged 15-35 years.

Summarized below are the program’s achievements in gender equity and empowerment of women

and youth during the review period tracked through achievements in knowledge and skills training,

access to markets, access to credit, ownership of productive assets and participation in decision-

making measured by the following indicators.

LD 37: Percent of female program beneficiaries in relevant leadership positions.

GNDR-2: Percentage of female participants in USG assisted programs designed to increase access to

productive economic resources.

Youth-3: Percentage of participants in USG assisted programs designed to increase access to productive

economic resources that are youth (15-35) years.

5.1 WOMEN LEADERS IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

LD 37: Percent of female program beneficiaries in relevant leadership positions

The program continued to nurture women leaders in livestock production by strengthening their

technical and negotiation skills in enhancing production and productivity along the beef and dairy

value chains. Female farmers under the program continued to break new ground and occupy

leadership positions in beef and dairy farming. At the end of the review period, 54 percent of

leadership positions in beef and dairy marketing groups, lead farmers, and grass-root producer

associations working with the program were occupied by female farmers compared to 53 percent in

the previous quarter and 36 percent at baseline. Of the 122 functional program lead farmers, 52

percent are women. The program’s lead farmers provide a pivotal point for articulation and

showcasing program activities, and command respect in their communities. Lead farmers are playing

a critical role in disseminating and feeding back information during the current COVID-19 lockdown.

Program technicians are using them to cascade essential technical information to their mentees and

provide updates to the program hierarchy.

5.1.1 Decision-Making

One of the barriers faced by female livestock farmers is limited negotiating power, technical skills,

and lack of information to access lucrative markets. To address this disparity, the program works

with male gender champions and community leaders to change these attitudes and encourage

women’s participation in activities involving decisions on production and productivity, accessing

lucrative markets, and regulations on beef and dairy value chains. Program interventions on women’s

empowerment are positively impacting production and productivity along the beef and dairy value

chains (see Text box 5.1). In addition, results from the first round of AHS FY2020 indicate that 95

percent of female beneficiaries are involved in their household cattle production and marketing

decisions, compared to 86 percent at baseline in FY 2017.



Text Box 5.1: Savvy decision-making and adherence to good animal husbandry practices pay

increased dividends for female lead farmer

Female lead farmer Sunungurayi Gadha from Chipinge, Manicaland, demonstrated to fellow farmers that

proper animal selection supported by good animal husbandry practices such as supplementary feeding and

appropriate animal health management are game-changers for increasing incomes. Gadha generated $1,903

in income from four cattle (three cows and a bull) culled in a feedlot venture. While other farmers who

sold more than 10 cattle earned an average of $356 per animal – equivalent to a return per dollar of

around $2.50 – Gadha’s cattle averaged $476 per animal and had the highest return per dollar of $3.84.

Fellow feedlot farmers marveled at the superior performance of Gadha’s animals in the pens and the

substantial income she earned. The program is encouraging farmers to practice culling of less productive

stock and value add to their cattle through pen fattening to mitigate against the impending drought; and to

generate capital for investing back into the farm (working capital and assets). Gadha’s case clearly

demonstrates that with informed decisions and technical skills, women farmers can derive more value from

their livestock.

5.2 WOMEN AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

TRAINING

The program encourages men, women, and youth farmers from beneficiary households to attend

program activities together. This enables household members to learn from each other and to

consult on technical, business, and marketing decisions in beef and dairy value chains.

During the quarter, 46 percent of beneficiaries who participated in program activities were women

and 18 percent of participants were youth (15-35 years). Activities included training and technical

assistance on production and productivity enhancing GAPs and GAHPs; business skills development;

nutrition and hygiene; gender; and linkages to credit, input and output markets. Program staff also

received technical guidelines on integrating gender and social inclusion issues in technical program

activities.

During the review period, 1,651 farmers (45 percent women) received training on women and youth

empowerment compared to 1,328 farmers, (53 percent women) in the previous period. In total, 264

farmers (50 percent women) were trained on gender concepts and 47 farmers (68 percent women)

were trained on leadership and conflict resolution (Table 5.2.1).

Table 5.2.1: Gender and Youth Training by Subject, Q2 FY 2020

Training Subject

Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020

Female Male Total %


%

Women

Gender Mainstreaming 46 33 79 58 1 2 3 33

Women and Youth

Empowerment 701 627 1,328 53 745 906 1,651 45

Gender Concepts 277 230 507 55 132 132 264 50

Leadership and

Conflict Resolution 71 51 122 58 32 15 47 68

Other* 66 42 108 61 23 21 44 52

*Other subjects include International Women’s Day Source: CIRIS

5.2.1Youth participation

The program works with youth (15-35 years) and helps them to develop skills to become leaders

and entrepreneurs in beef and dairy value chains. The approach engages youth farmers to view

agribusiness as a career and provides targeted trainings to improve skills, knowledge and information

in technical, leadership, and business skills.



Text Box 5.2.1: Gokwe Youth farmers Innovate Fodder Enterprise

Seven youthful farmers including two women from Gokwe South, Midlands have established an innovative

fodder production and hay cutting enterprise, known as Tapinda Tapinda Producer Group. The group’s

target market is local beef-dairy farmers. To kick start their joint enterprise, one of the members pledged a

piece of land for the project while local village milk aggregator Siyengiwe Machina and two other beef-dairy

farmers provided draught power for tillage. So far, the group has stockpiled 0.5 tons of rangeland hay and

planted 1.5 hectares of fodder crops (cowpeas, pearl millet, sun flower, and sunn hemp) and expects to

harvest 7 tons of hay by the end of May 2020.

“Dairy farming means providing fodder for cows throughout the year. We will always have a market for

our fodder and earn incomes,” said Sibongile Mandonda.

The program continues to offer trainings and technical assistance deliberately targeted at strengthening

women and youth’s technical and entrepreneurial skills in beef and dairy production, milk aggregation,

transport, processing, and supplying primary animal health care. The activities have opened new income

streams for female and youth livestock farmers resulting in increased participation and improved household

welfare. During the review period, 18 percent of program beneficiaries who participated in program

activities were youth.

Photo by Fintrac

Ishmael Chidhakwa (left), a young entrepreneur is the

chairperson of the Tapinda Tapinda producer group.

Youth beneficiaries are involved as

primary producers, animal health

service providers, transporters,

aggregators of produce, and

employees (See text box 5.2.1).

5.3 INVESTMENT AND

OWNERSHIP OF

PRODUCTIVE ASSETS

Limited access to and control of

productive assets by female livestock

farmers limits their ability to

economically gain and reach their full

potential in livestock production.

The program continued to promote

equitable control of and access to

productive assets by all family

members for increased production,

productivity and incomes. During the

review period 296 farmers (50 percent women), received trainings on village milk aggregation and

investment in mechanization and potable water. Preliminary results from the FY2020 AHS indicate

that 768 female program participants have invested $441,372 in productive assets to enhance

production and productivity on their farms during FY2020. The investments were made in breeding

stock, borehole drilling and water reticulation, constructing milk rooms and milking parlors,

purchasing chillers, digital scales, fencing material, on-farm machinery and equipment, and

construction of toilets. Below are some highlights on investments made by beneficiary female

farmers in productive assets, during the review period.

Structural investment puts female aggregator’s business on sustainable footing.

Female village milk aggregator Siyengiwe Machina from Gokwe South, Midlands invested

$580 worth of pen fattening proceeds in the construction of a milk room to ensure

compliance with regulatory requirements for formal milk marketing. Following completion of

her milk room and once she met regulatory requirements for accreditation as a registered

dairy farmer, Machina delivered 223 liters of milk worth around $85 to large-scale milk

processor Dendairy during two trips in March 2020. Currently, Machina yields 30 liters of

milk each day from her five cows (one beef and four dairy) and aggregates an additional 20

liters per day from seven local suppliers. The program is encouraging village milk aggregators



to invest in milk rooms and homestead improvements for accreditation and certification by

Dairy Services to facilitate access of their raw milk to larger processors such as Dendairy,

Dairibord Private Limited, and Kershelmer.

Program beneficiary invests in paddocking. A $500 investment toward setting up a

1.5-hectare paddock for grazing her eight cattle has proved beneficial for widowed beef-

dairy farmer Fabiola Chiwanza from Gokwe South, Midlands. Previously, her animals trekked

at least five kilometers daily in search of pastures, reducing milk returns as the cows’

nutrients were converted to energy for the daily exercise. With the paddocking system,

Chiwanza’s cattle are now able to graze in monitored confinement, eliminating hired labor

costs, and allowing her more time to focus on her beef-dairy enterprise and delivery of milk

to the local village milk aggregator. The program is encouraging farmers to establish

paddocks, as they are a source of cheap, consistent dry matter; allow animals to graze in

monitored confinements and therefore avoid traveling for long distances in search of

pastures as well as to help control overgrazing of pastures.

Investment in water access helps ease workload and opens opportunities for

diverse income streams. Following a $3,339 co-investment in borehole drilling and water

reticulation equipment after committing eight cattle, female lead farmer Precious Makuyana

from Chipinge, Manicaland is hopeful that her water investment will free up time for her to

engage in other income-generating activities such as market gardening. Before the

investment, Makuyana endured the back-breaking task of manually drawing water for

domestic use from a deep well. “My life is easier now, and I have more time to do other

household chores. I can also establish a nutrition garden at our homestead,” she said.

Makuyana invested $210 in a drip irrigation kit for use on 0.3 hectares. The investment will

enable her to commercially produce horticulture crops (See Annex 1: On-Farm Investments

Imperative to Building Smallholder Farmers’ Resilience).

5.3.1 Female ownership of cattle

Although beef and dairy cattle are a key asset for rural households’ economic growth, gender

disparities tend to limit women ownership of beef and dairy cattle. To address this constraint, the

program promotes behavior change of beneficiary household members to become change agents in

dispelling cultural norms that undermine household productivity, food security, and welfare by

limiting women’s ownership and full potential in livestock production. Results from the first round of

the FY2020 AHS indicate that in 47 percent of beneficiary households, women owned their own

cattle. Through program interventions, female beneficiaries with support from male counterparts

continue to challenge norms and are now investing in cattle. Specific examples from this quarter are

below:

Whole-farm approach enables Chipinge farmer to expand livestock investments.

Victoria Pencil from Chipinge, Manicaland, procured two replacement heifers for $324 using

personal savings and tomato proceeds from her 0.05-hectare garden. Following program

advice, Pencil and her husband Norman Deruko culled their 14 cattle in a feedlot venture to

fund borehole drilling at their homestead with plans to double the area under horticultural

production once water reticulation on her new borehole is installed, improving her

household’s food security, income, and resilience. The program’s whole-farm approach

ensures farmers produce as efficiently as possible for home consumption and for sale to

formal and informal markets. The cash generated is then used to invest in productive assets

and buy food items the household does not produce.

Investment in improved breeds set to increase milk production and incomes.

Three female beef-dairy farmers from Umzingwane, Matabeleland South, used part of the

proceeds earned from the sale of their fattened cattle to procure four Brahman dairy

crosses (three heifers and an in-calf cow) worth $1,550. The improved breeds were sourced

from a reputable local farmer through program facilitation, and farmers’ income from milk

production is set to increase as the new breeds have the potential to produce between 10-

15 liters per cow per day. “I would like to thank the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock



Text Box 5.5.1: Village milk aggregators make maiden milk delivery to formal market.

Three village milk aggregators (two women), from Gokwe South Midlands made their first delivery

of 160 liters of raw fresh milk to large-scale processor, Dendairy Private Limited after meeting the

basic regulatory requirements for formal milk marketing. The alternative market linkage will see

the aggregators receive a producer price 300 percent higher than the local milk collection center

(MCC). “Thank you, Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program, for linking us to

a more sustainable and lucrative alternative market, which will enable us to earn higher incomes,”

said female village milk aggregator Takanayi Taurai who has been selling her milk to the MCC for

the past two years. Already, four other aggregators (three women) from Chirumhanzu and

Chipinge districts and four beef-dairy farmers (three women) from Gweru, Midlands have been

linked to Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited and are supplying more than 3,200 liters of milk per month.

Development program for facilitating the purchase of these heifers and furthering my dream

to commercialize my dairy business,” said Irvie Ndhlovu.

5.4 ACCESS TO FINANCE

The program continued to promote saving and lending groups (PPLS group) among beneficiary

farmers as a source of reliable and flexible funds for livestock production activities. During the

review period, the program facilitated 17 female beef and dairy farmers to access loans worth

$1,411 for working capital from Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited, MCCs, and saving and lending groups.

5.5 ACCESS TO MARKETS

The program supports growth of village economies by linking smallholder beef and dairy farmers to

formal markets to enable them to sell their produce at fair prices. During the review period, the

program trained 981 farmers (38 percent women) on group marketing. Four female milk aggregators

from Gokwe South and Chipinge districts were linked to large processors Dairibord Zimbabwe

Limited and Dendairy during the review period (See Text Box 5.5.1).

5.6 AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS

To increase awareness and promote gender

empowerment among program beneficiaries

and stakeholders, the program dedicated the

whole month of March 2020 to celebrating

and profiling women success and

empowerment in beef and dairy value chains

in observance of the International Women's

Day, which is held annually on March 8.

Women empowerment and success

messages, as well as information on COVID-

19, and gender-based violence were fully

integrated in program field activities.

However, field activities were interrupted by

the COVID-19 lockdown and only 44

farmers (52 percent women) participated in

IWD activities (See Text Box 5.6.1). Photo by Fintrac

Beneficiaries celebrate women in livestock during an

IWD technical day in Gokwe South, Midlands.



Text Box 5.6.1: Beef-dairy Farmers Celebrate Women in Livestock Production

Campaign theme, an equal world is an enabled world, let’s all be #EachforEqual

To commemorate International Women’s Day 2020, the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock

Development program conducted two livestock technical days in Gokwe South district, Midlands.

The events sought to celebrate and empower smallholder rural women farmers. The activities

acknowledged the significant roles female rural farmers contribute in sustainably improving rural

households and economies. According to a female beef-dairy farmer Fabiola Chiwanza, “Since I

started supplying milk to local female village aggregator Siyengiwe Machina, my milk production has

doubled as well as my incomes”. She added “I am happy about this IWD as it also celebrates and

creates opportunities for ordinary women farmers who have not yet garnered high-profile

attention in dairy and in the process of development”. The program has gender equality and

women’s empowerment at its core and works to empower female smallholder farmers to

participate in livestock production decision making processes to achieve sustainable economic

emancipation for rural households.



6. LESSONS LEARNED

The main lessons learned during program implementation and mitigation steps taken during the

quarter were:

Adequate fodder flow planning and production sustains both beef and dairy value chains.

Farmers across all the operational areas were encouraged to adopt GAPs to produce

sufficient fodder and collect available low- to no-cost feed material from the rangelands.

Adequate fodder improves milk yields and consistency of supply to milk aggregators and

formal markets. In addition, beef cows maintain desirable body condition for regular

reproduction.

Early planting of drought-tolerant fodder crops with the first rains reduces competition and

pressure on farmers to produce both food and fodder crops when the main rains set in.

Farmers were encouraged to dry plant both fodder and food crops.

Commercial processors are willing to engage and invest in win-win business relationships

with smallholder farmers when they ‘see the money’. Providing them with technical

assistance on how smallholder farmers work and conduct their businesses facilitates in

building this positive relationship. Farmers linked to these markets are motivated to grow

their enterprises; improve and maintain good practices as the markets are reliable and offer

fair prices based on quality of product.

Investment in adequate and reliable water sources at farm level is critical for sustainable

whole farm production and productivity and transforming livelihoods. Investments made in

boreholes by some households have played a significant role in improving household food

security through uninterrupted food and fodder crop and vegetable production as

households can produce during periods that are traditionally not feasible.

Smallholder farmers are rational economic actors in the face of the hyperinflationary

environment; they are investing their earnings from beef and dairy products into stable

currencies (USD or ZAR) whose value is not easily depreciated.



7. CHALLENGES

The main strategic challenges facing the development of smallholder farmers’ beef and dairy

agribusinesses hence affecting program implementation were:

The ongoing inflation and liquidity crunch in the country, which has affected cattle marketing;

this was further fueled by the decline in disposable incomes, which depressed country-wide

demand for beef and dairy products. The depreciating value of cattle had negative effects on

program efforts of commercialization, with some farmers being reluctant to cull or sell

animals.

The hyperinflationary environment adversely affected farmers’ ability to invest in productive

assets. Any delays made in utilizing incomes obtained from cattle sales or other on-farm

activities eroded incomes making it impossible for farmers to replace stocks or breeding

animals.

High cost of drugs and stock feeds was reported from all operational districts. Farmers were

encouraged to grow sufficient fodder and stockpile locally available low- to no-cost feeds

from the rangelands. Farmers were also encouraged to adopt preventative GAHPs such as

dosing, vaccination, and dipping of cattle instead of treatments, which are very expensive.

Erratic and low rains resulted in poor establishment and performance of food and fodder

crops including the rangelands. Although early planted crops did well, late planted crops

succumbed to inadequate moisture. The program encouraged farmers to plant drought-

tolerant food and fodder crops; stagger planting dates; and invest in sustainable water-

related infrastructure.

Low and erratic rains also resulted in limited inflows to rivers and dams and recharging of

deep wells and boreholes, threatening the long-term availability of drinking water for both

humans and animals. The program is encouraging farmers to purposively cull old and

unproductive cattle and use the income for investments in reliable and improved household

water sources individually or in joint ownership arrangements.

Milk collection centers across all the operational areas were unable to consistently absorb

increased milk volumes from smallholder beef-dairy farmers. This resulted in disruptions of

raw milk intake and returns. The program worked with farmers and linked them to

sustainable and more lucrative commercial markets.

Tick-borne diseases exacerbated by irregular cattle dipping schedules from government-run

local dip tanks were a challenge to most farmers. The program is encouraging beneficiaries

to practice on-farm tick control using PERSUAP-compliant chemicals applied with knapsack

sprayers to minimize livestock loss from tick-borne diseases. The program also encouraged

farmers to construct strong races to ensure cattle are effectively dipped.

The emergence of COVID-19 affected farmers’ and stakeholders’ movements reducing

access to technical and marketing services. In response the program created WhatsApp

groups that allow farmers and technical experts to support, share, and exchange current

technical and market information.

The lockdown has also resulted in shortages of transport to move raw milk to the market.

When available, transport costs are making the business unviable. Aggregators were

encouraged to work together and share transport costs to commercial markets. They were

encouraged to increase volumes through increasing their production and mobilizing more

local suppliers.



8. ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT QUARTER As the program enters its final seven months of operations, the focus will be on consolidating and

intensifying activities through intense engagement and collaborations with stakeholders in particular

private sector input and output companies, DVS, Dairy Services and AGRITEX to ensure

strengthened farmer to private sector relationships and sustainability of program activities. Specific

activities planned for the next quarter will therefore include:

Facilitating exchange visits to increase farmer-to-farmer and farmer-to-market-actor

interactions and information sharing.

Increased collaborations and engagement of private sector led trainings and technical

assistance on production and productivity enhancing GAPs, GAHPs, and business skills.

Capacity building of new and existing village milk aggregators, beef aggregators, and beef and

milk producer groups on enterprise budgets; break-even analysis; basic accounting skills;

producer database management; setting up business records; budgeting; profit and loss

accounts; negotiation skills; farmer group organization; and basic business ethics including

customer care and good interpersonal skills; improvement of beef and milk marketing

efficiency; increasing milk volumes, and quality improvement.

Collaborating with formal buyers of raw milk to provide technical assistance on hygienic

handling of milk; conducting and mobilizing suppliers to produce critical milk volumes to

cover operational costs and achieve profits.

In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, intensify the development of milk corridors in all

the districts, Chipinge, Chirumhanzu, Umzingwane, and Gokwe South for increased

marketing of milk to formal markets

Promotion of postharvest technologies focusing on fodder conservation that includes

construction of stock feeds and hay sheds; hay harvesting and preservation; silage making;

ammoniating poor roughages and crop stover using urea and/or Mabiko K.

Facilitate the management of paddocks and the mobilization and procurement of low-cost

feeds. Focusing on procurement of molasses, stock piling of rangeland sources of feeds

(acacia pods, cactus, vines, and sausage trees) for supplementary feeding

Facilitate herd rationalization and group marketing of cattle off the rangeland and where

possible pen fattening, before the lean season, to allow farmers to invest in supplementary

feeds; heifers; bulls for breed improvement and access to reliable water supplies/sources.

Identification and strengthening of new and existing ISALs and/or PPLS and continued

engagement of Micro Finance Institutes for increased and inclusive financial access.

Intensifying on cross cutting themes interventions such as gender, nutrition, and WASH

activities to help control COVID-19 spread.

Training farmers on good animal husbandry practices such as construction of sound handling

facilities, dosing, ear tagging, dehorning, dentition and animal health management practices

including cattle vaccinations against lumpy skin, anthrax, black leg and botulism through

group buying of drugs and other livestock inputs.

Identifying program close-out sites and initiating the necessary close out protocols.



ANNEX 1: SNAPSHOTS

Multipurpose Trees Increase Dividends for Smallholders

Farming systems that integrate multipurpose trees are ideal for smallholder farmers as

they help to improve environmental stewardship, increase livestock production and

productivity, increase household incomes, improve household dietary diversity, and

build farmers’ resilience.

The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program promotes the

establishment of multipurpose trees, herbaceous plants, and grasses for more than

just human and livestock consumption. In addition to the benefits mentioned above,

the multipurpose fodder, fruit trees, and pastures can provide livestock feed, act as

wind breaks, and reduce soil erosion. They also help bring soil nutrients from deep

down within the soil to the surface, provide shade for humans and animals, and act as

carbon sinks helping to lower the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Early program adopters Rose Masara and Ladson Mubonesi from Chipinge are among

many program beneficiaries who have begun reaping benefits from their four-year-old

mulberry and cacti orchards, which they use for household consumption and feeding

their livestock during the lean season. Mulberry leaf has 15 to 28 percent crude

protein (CP), and cacti are a good source of soluble carbohydrates, calcium,

potassium, vitamin A, and water for livestock.

Similarly, after investing in a borehole and water reticulation technology, Douglas

Masilela from Umzingwane, Matabeleland South, can attest to the benefits of

establishing multipurpose trees. Masilela, a village milk aggregator, took up tree

planting to provide fruit for his family, crude protein-rich leaf meal and shade for his

dairy cows, and alleviate soil erosion problems. With the help of his spouse Thembeni,

the pair established 0.2 hectares of star grass pasture, 100 leucaena, 47 mulberry, and

14 fruit trees (mango, litchi, and sugar plum) around their homestead.

“I’m grateful to the [Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development] program for

encouraging me to plant multipurpose trees and grass pasture. They provide food for

my cattle and family, and the erosion around my homestead has reduced,” said

Masilela.

Using a whole farm approach for each operating district, the program also encourages

farmers to establish fruit and fodder trees including bananas, cacti, Leucaena, mulberry,

mango, oranges, lemons, guava as well as indigenous musau, mupanda, munyii, and the

Chipinge vine (botanical name). Other environmentally-friendly practices include using

gray water; protecting plants and trees from damage by livestock, and making use of

PERSUAP-compliant chemicals (such as Imidocloprid) for pest control.

With program assistance, husband and wife duo Precious Makuyana and Thinkmore

Sithole from Chipinge, Manicaland, established a banana plantation of 44 plants on

swampy edges of their horticultural plot. While bananas are generally grown as a fruit

crop, the plants generate large quantities of forage that can be utilized as low-cost

livestock feed. The false stems and leaves have 8 percent CP and high water content,

providing low-cost cattle maintenance feed in the lean season when other feed

resources are in short supply. Excess foliar from the bananas can be used for mulching

their horticulture crops.

Finally, in Gweru, Midlands, seven members of Tashinga Cattle Producer

group (42 percent women) established mulberry nurseries with 140 saplings

to reinforce their paddocks and provide shade. For further benefit,

mulberry can be strategically planted around homesteads, fields, gardens,

and cattle pens as a live fence.

During the review period, more than 6,000 multipurpose plants and trees

were established on 400 beneficiary homesteads across the six operational

districts. Of the established plants and trees, more than 1,500 were fruit

trees that will aid in enhancing household nutrition.

Photo by Fintrac

Precious Makuyana and her spouse

Thinkmore Sithole on their banana

plantation.

“I am grateful to the program for

encouraging me to plant multipurpose

trees and grass pasture. They provide

food for my cattle and family, and the

erosion around my homestead has

reduced.”

Douglas Masilela,

Smallholder beef-dairy farmer



On-Farm Investments Critical for Smallholder Farmers’ Resilience

Structured infrastructural investments that include reliable long-term access to potable

water sources at a household level are an invaluable commitment toward increasing

overall farm production and productivity. The availability of appropriate farm

infrastructure and control of water allows for the expansion of income-generating

agricultural activities which can improve the resilience of smallholder farmers.

The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development program is encouraging

smallholder farmers to leverage increased herd growth to invest in potable water

sources at a household level. The availability of reliable water is crucial to

commercializing smallholder farmers, as water is a key ingredient in supporting

domestic water needs; livestock production (watering animals and irrigation of

fodder); and agricultural production (horticultural crops, nutrition gardens, and

orchards) for household food security, nutrition, and sales.

Heeding the program’s investment advice, Precious Makuyana from Chipinge,

Manicaland, committed 10 cattle for sale to co-invest in borehole drilling under the

Grants Under Contracts facility. Makuyana channeled the $3,339-worth of proceeds

(40 percent contribution) toward water reticulation and fencing, and is now

diversifying into whole farm, year-round income-generating agricultural activities.

To maximize the return on her investments, Makuyana procured a drip irrigation kit

for $210 and established 0.3 hectares of horticultural crops including tomato, cabbage,

onion, and green mealies for commercial and household consumption. She anticipates

harvesting a ton of maize for home consumption and earning in excess of $700 from

her horticultural produce.

Prior to the borehole and drip irrigation investments, Makuyana endured the back-

breaking task of drawing water from a deep well to water her 100 square meter

nutrition garden, which severely limited her productivity potential.

“Investing in a borehole at our homestead has been our family’s best achievement.

Coupled with the drip irrigation investment, my life is easier now, and I have more

time to do other household chores,” Makuyana said.

Makuyana’s potable water investment is paying increased dividends as environmental,

water, sanitation, and hygiene issues seamlessly fall into place. Handwashing with soap

at critical times is no longer an issue due to the availability of water at the homestead.

In addition, multipurpose trees that previously failed due to lack of water are now well

cared for and an additional 45 banana plants and 50 tree varieties have been

established.

Since joining the program in 2016, Makuyana has sold 16 cattle to abattoirs and

invested her proceeds in procuring five improved breeding heifers, borehole drilling,

water reticulation, fencing, and drip irrigation.

“Investing in a borehole at our

homestead has been our family’s

best achievement. My life is easier

now, and I have more time to do

other household chores.”

Precious Makuyana,

Smallholder beef farmer

Photo by Fintrac

Precious Makuyana and her spouse

Thinkmore Sithole establish

horticultural crops on their drip

irrigation plot.



Chipinge Farmers Break New Dairy Ground

Commercial dairy farming in Zimbabwe has been traditionally viewed as a business for

large-scale farmers who own dairy breeds such as Holstein, Jersey, and Red Dane and

were located in ecological natural regions 1 to III where pastures and rainfall are

abundant all year round.

However, using the beef-dairy and village milk aggregation models, the Feed the Future

Zimbabwe Livestock Development program has changed this perception and

pioneered dairying using indigenous beef cattle in the drier marginal agro-ecological

Region V of Chipinge, Manicaland.

In early February 2020, 10 Chipinge beef-dairy smallholder farmers made their first

delivery of 43 liters of raw fresh milk to Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited’s local

processing plant via three aggregators, Sunungurai Gadha, Moses Mandlazi, and Elias

Muchikichi. The aggregators, who are all first-time dairy producers, were certified by

Dairy Services (the government’s regulatory arm) after meeting the prerequisite milk

hygiene and safety standards for formal marketing. Basic requirements include having

milk tested and certified free of contagious abortion, a properly constructed milk

room and milking parlor, access to potable water, washing facilities for milking cans,

readily available cold chain technologies, capacity to conduct rapid milk reception

tests, having a toilet at the homestead with appropriately located handwashing

stations, and other hygienic milk production standards.

“Thanks to the formal market linkage facilitated by the program, I am now able to earn

regular income from milking my beef cows. Using program teachings, I intend to

produce more high quality milk and earn more money for my family,” said Gadha.

By the end of March 2020, Gadha and her fellow aggregators increased their producer

base to more than 30 and collectively aggregated and delivered 2,521 liters of milk

worth $1,521. Through the adoption and implementation of good dairy management

practices taught by the program, average milk yield per cow also increased from an

average one liter per cow per day to around 3 liters per cow per day.

Realizing the income-earning potential of dairying, farmers are already increasing dairy-

related on-farm investments such as improved breeding stock that yield higher milk

volumes. William Pachiti has invested $1,200 in an in-calf Red Dane-Jersey cross heifer

with the potential to yield 20 liters per day with an average butter fat content of 3.5

percent and protein content of 4 percent.

The commercialization of beef-dairy farmers in Chipinge has led to improved

household incomes as producers are earning more than $0.60 for each liter of fresh

milk. In fact, more than 70 producers are already milking their beef cows and working

toward their certification for the ability to sell to the dairy processor. More than 5,500

liters worth around $1,600 was sold through the informal market.

Increased incomes reinforce smallholder farmers’ resilience to shocks, as the new

income is utilized for household food requirements, veterinary drug costs, medical

expenses, and tuition fees for children.

Since the beef-dairy and village aggregation models were established, 69 previously

beef- only farmers (45 percent women) are transitioning to become dairy producers

using their beef herds. Currently, these beef-dairy farmers are collectively producing

and selling 6,200 liters of milk worth $3,726 every month.

Photo by Fintrac

Village milk aggregators (from left)

Mirriam Saineti, Sunungurayi Gadha,

and Moses Mandlazi prepare to deliver

milk at Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited’s

depot in Chipinge.

“Thanks to the formal market

linkage facilitated by the program, I

am now able to earn regular

income from my milk. Using

program teachings, I intend to

produce more milk and earn more

money for my family.”

Sunungurayi Gadha,

Village milk aggregator and

smallholder beef-dairy farmer



ANNEX 2. FTFZ-LD ILLUSTRATIVE INDICATORS

Indicator Indicator

Source Baseline Disaggregate

FY2020

Target

Q2 FY 2020

Achievement

Total Unit

1 Number of individuals participating in

USG food security programs EG.3-2

0 Total 4,200 2,39113 4,05414 Unique Individual

participants 0 Beef 3,400 2,07615 3,53016

0 Dairy 800 31517 52418

2

Estimated number and percentage of FTF

beneficiaries holding 5 hectares or less of

arable land or equivalent units of

livestock (Smallholders)19

LD 15 91 59 60

6020 Percent

3 Prevalence of poverty: Percent of people

living on less than $1.90/day† LD 10

87 Overall 55 N/A21 N/A

Percent 93 Beef 57 N/A N/A

76 Dairy 48 N/A N/A

4 Mean percent shortfall relative to the

$1.90 poverty line LD11 59 33 N/A N/A Percent

5 Ability to recover from shocks and

stresses index RESIL-a 4.1 4.2 N/A N/A Average Score

6

Prevalence of moderate and severe food

insecurity in the population, based on the

Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)

LD 30 31 14 N/A N/A Percent

13 1,100 female and 1,291 males. 14 4,054 participants (48 percent women) 15 953 female and 1,123 males. 16 3,530 participants (48 percent women) 17 147 female and 168 males. 18 524 participants (46 percent women) 19 For FTFZ-LD, the indicator is based on cattle ownership- households owning 10 or less cattle or two or fewer lactating cows are considered smallholder beef and dairy farmers,

respectively. 20 Smallholders disaggregated by value chain: Beef -58 percent; Dairy - 64 percent 21 Result will be available in Q4 FY 2020 after the 2nd round of the Annual Hsousehold Survey.



Indicator Indicator


FY2020

Target

Q2 FY 2020

Achievement

Total Unit

7 Average household agricultural net

income from agriculture LD 1

238 Beef 1,000 N/A N/A

USD 415 Dairy

2,600 N/A N/A

8 Farmer’s gross margin per animal with

USG assistance LD 31

18.80 Beef 30 N/A N/A USD

119.49 Dairy 650 N/A N/A

9

Yield of targeted agricultural

commodities among program participants

with USG assistance

EG.3-10, -11,

-12 2.6 Dairy 6.5 6.0422

6.04 Liters per cow/day

10 Average number of livestock units per

beef households. LD 32 7.2 Beef 7.7 N/A 6.84 Livestock Units

11

Number of individuals in the agriculture

system who have applied improved

management practices or technologies

with USG assistance.

EG.3.2-24 4,946

4,000 3,87523

3,875 Farmers

12

Number of hectares under improved


with USG assistance

EG.3.2-2524 4,946 4,200 6,057

6,05725 Hectares

13 Number of hectares under improved


that promote improved climate risk

reduction and/or natural resources

management with USG assistance.

EG.3.2-28 568 4,200 6,057

6,057 Hectares

22 Sex disaggregate: Female – 6.62 liters/day/cow; Male 5.55 liters/day/cow 23 Overall adoption rate was 96 percent. Beef – 95 percent; Dairy 99 percent 24 This is a new indicator recommended by BFSS in FY 2019. The indicator is informed by EG.3.2-28 which the program was already tracking since FY 2018 as recommended through the

GFSS phase 2 set of indicators 25 Disaggregated by farmer category: Beef – 3,236 hectares; Dairy – 2,821 hectares



Indicator Indicator


FY2020

Target

Q2 FY 2020

Achievement

Total Unit

14

Number of market linkages established

with service providers entered into with

USG supported MSMEs

LD 16

0 Total 2,160 1,63126 1,631

Unique Individuals 0 Beef 1,360 1,319 1,319

0 Dairy 800 312 312

15 Value of annual sales of farms and firms

receiving USG assistance. EG.3.2-26

2.3227 Total (Actual

Sales) 3.25 N/A N/A

USD Millions 1.28 Beef Cattle (live)

(Actual Sales) 1.29 N/A N/A

1.04 Dairy (Actual

Sales) 1.96 N/A N/A

16

Number of individuals who have received

USG supported short-term agricultural

sector productivity or food security

training

LD 33

0 Total 4,200 2,39128 4,05429

Unique Individuals 0 Male 2,100 1,291 2,106

0 Female 2,100 1,100 1,948

17 Value of agriculture-related financing

accessed as a result of USG assistance30 EG.3.2-27 0

55,000 2,62431 46,50932 USD

18

Number of individuals participating in

group-based savings, micro-finance or

lending programs with USG assistance33

EG.4.2-7 223

130 3534 12735 Unique Individuals

26 652 female and 979 males 27 Total actual sales were $2,318,072 (Beef - $1,280,831 & Dairy - $1,037,241). 28 2,076 beef and 315 dairy 29 3,530 beef and 524 dairy farmers 30 The indicator considered agricultural related credit/loans received by MSMEs including farmers from registered financial institutions only up to FY 2018. It was then expanded to include

formal and informal sources of credit as from Q1, FY 2019. 31 $2,624.44 was accessed by 35 farmers (49 percent women) toward the financing of beef and dairy inputs; and fencing material 32 A total of $ 46,509.83 was accessed by 127 unique farmers (39 percent women) toward the financing of agricultural investments, fencing; borehole drilling and water reticulation; and

working capital (veterinary chemicals and stock feed) 33 Modified in FY 2018 34 35 farmers (49 percent women) accessed credit: 9 beef and 26 dairy farmers accessed $281.64 and $2,342.80 respectively. 35 127 farmers (39 percent women) accessed credit: 60 beef and 67 dairy farmers accessed $28,676.77 and $17,833.06 respectively



Indicator Indicator


FY2020

Target

Q2 FY 2020

Achievement

Total Unit

19

Percent of beneficiaries borrowing at

least once to finance purchase of

livestock or other capital investment

LD 8 0

20 636

237 Percent

20

Number of individuals who have invested

in agriculture as a result of USG

assistance

LD 18

0 Total 1,370 1,755 38 1,755

Unique Individuals 0 Beef 990 1,30139 1,301

0 Dairy 380 45440 454

21 Value of individual investment made in

agriculture as a result of USG assistance LD 19 0 1,000,000 1,186,83141 1,186,831 USD

22

Value of new USG commitments and

private sector investment leveraged by

the USG to support food security and

nutrition

EG.3.1-14 1,182 150,000 7,00742 124,13743 USD

23

Prevalence of women of reproductive

age consuming a diet of minimum

diversity.

LD 34 65 70 86 86 Percent

24

Percent of female direct beneficiaries of

USG nutrition-sensitive agriculture

activities consuming a diet of minimum

diversity

EG.3.3-10 53 72 86 86 Percent

25 Percent of households that consistently LD 2 7

82 88 88 Percent

36 Six percent (2 of 35 farmers) accessed credit for capital investment including the purchase of livestock for long term investment. Two farmers borrowed to invest in fencing material for

their farms. 37 Two percent (3 of 127 farmers) accessed credit for capital investment including the purchase of livestock for long term investment. Busani Moyo from Umzingwane district; Angeline Garwe

and Sigauke Sautai from Chipinge district accessed loans to invest in borehole drilling and water reticulation; and fencing material 38 Sex disaggregate: Female - 768; Male – 987 farmers 39 552 female and 749 males 40 216 female and 238 males 41 Female farmers invested $441,371.87 and $745,459.15 by male farmers: Beef farmers invested $750,599.95 and $436,231.07 by dairy farmers. 42 11 village milk aggregators from Chipinge, Gokwe South and Umzingwane invested $7,007 in the construction and renovation of milk rooms, milking parlors, sinks; purchase of digital scales 43 $50,395 new USG assistance and $73,742 private sector investment.



Indicator Indicator


FY2020

Target

Q2 FY 2020

Achievement

Total Unit

consume at least 5 of 9 food groups

26 Prevalence of children 6-23 months

receiving a minimum acceptable diet LD 14 1

78 74 74 Percent

27 Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding of

children under six months of age LD13 72

72 100 100 Percent

28

Percent of households that consistently

practice at least 4 out of 6 good hygiene

practices

LD 3 13 85 93 93 Percent

29 Number of people gaining access to a

basic sanitation service. HL.8.2-2 4,823 3,780 3,866 3,866 Unique Individuals

30

Percent households with detergent and

water at a handwashing station

commonly used by family members

HL.8.2-5 50 70 77 77 Percent

31

Percent of households washing hands

with detergent at 4 critical moments

(before preparing food, before eating,

after toilet use, after removing diapers)

LD 35 35 40 54 54 Percent

32

Number of food security private

enterprises (for profit), producer

organizations, water user associations,

women’s groups, trade and business

LD 3644 0

60 2445 4546

Unique

Organizations/

Associations

44 The indicator was retained as a custom. Originally was EG.3.2-4 in the Feed the Future Handbook. 45 8 Village milk aggregators: Mandhlazi Moses; Gadha Sungurai; Sithole Elias; Ndodha Sarah; Machina Siyengiwe; Takanai Taurai; Bhebhe Patrick; Thokozile Dube]; 2 Feedlots [Chibunji &

Dingulwazi ]; 2 cattle producer groups [Miracle Matikwa; Budiriro]; 5 Milk producer groups [ Tashinga; Mandiyere; Kudzanai; Chitanda & Birirano]; 1 Private Enterprise: SVP; 5 women’s

groups: Rimbi; Mwacheta; Mabhiza; Kumboedza & Chikware; 1 Water User Association: Maunganidze Irrigation Committee. 46 14 Village Milk Aggregators [Machina Siyengiwe; Munyanyi Blantinah; Ndodha Sarah; Nyoni Joconia; Takanai Taurai; Juwere Dzingirai; Masilela Douglas; Mhlope Prayers; Thokozile Dube;

Bhebhe Patrick; Ukama Tatendaishe; Mandhlazi Moses; Gadha Sunungurai; Sithole Elias]; 12 Feedlot groups [Chibunji; Dingulwazi; Vulindlela; Thandanani; Tashinga; Tamburikayi;

Asithuthukeni; Chucks; Deruko; Irisvale; Kuwirirana; Magwaza]; 6 Cattle marketing groups [Budiriro; Vukuzenzele; Tashinga; Siyafunda; Miracle Matikwa and Paradise]; 6 Milk producer groups

[Tagarika; Kudzanai; Tashinga; Mandiyere; Chitanda & Birirano]; 1 Private Enterprise [Suburban Veterinary Practice (SVP)]; 1 Water User Association: Maunganidze Irrigation Committee; 5

women’s groups: Rimbi; Mwacheta; Mabhiza; Kumboedza & Chikware.



Indicator Indicator


FY2020

Target

Q2 FY 2020

Achievement

Total Unit

associations, and community-based

organizations (CBOs) receiving USG

food security related organizational

development assistance

33 Percent of female program beneficiaries

in relevant leadership positions LD 37 36 50 5447 54 Percent

34

Percentage of female participants in USG-

assisted programs designed to increase

access to productive economic resources

GNDR-248 48 50 4949 49 Percent

35

Percentage of participants in USG-

assisted programs designed to increase

access to productive economic resources

who are youth

YOUTH-350 9 10 651 6 Percent

47 The program has 450 farmers occupying various relevant leadership positions (54 percent women); 122 are lead farmers (52 percent women). 48 This is a new indicator recommended by BFSS in FY 2019. Data source for the indicator is EG.4.2-7 (Number of individuals participating in group-based savings, micro-finance or lending

programs with USG assistance). FY 2019 result became the baseline. 49 17 of 35 farmers who accessed credit in Q2 FY 2020 were women. Female farmers received $1,410.98, 54 percent, of the total value disbursed. 50 This is a new indicator recommended by BFSS in FY 2019. Data source for the indicator is EG.4.2-7 (Number of individuals participating in group-based savings, micro-finance or lending

programs with USG assistance). FY 2019 result became the baseline. 51 2 of 35 farmers who accessed credit in Q2 FY 2020 were youths. Youth farmers received $144.83, 6 percent, of the value disbursed.



ANNEX 3. LIST OF BUYERS

The companies below have all been engaged, some expressed an interest to transact and some

transacted with program beneficiaries in target districts during the review period.

Company Products Contact and Title Tel No. Email

Aggregator Bhebhe

Patrick Milk Bhebhe Patrick 0775564117

Aggregator Dube

Thokozile Milk Dube Thokozile 0712291200

Aggregator Gadha

Sunungurai Milk Gadha Sunungurai 0718035747

Aggregator Juwere

Dzingirai Milk Juwere Dzingirai 0776308841

Aggregator Machina

Siyengiwe Milk Machina Siyengiwe 0783 587 430

Aggregator Masilela

Douglas Milk Masilela Douglas 0773486090

Aggregator

Mandhlazi Moses Milk Mandhlazi Moses 0713184754

Aggregator

Maparadze Chiedza Milk Maparadze Chiedza 0777367002

Aggregator Mhlope

Prayers Milk Mhlope Prayers 0712916854

Aggregator

Muchikichi Elias Milk Muchikichi Elias 0717253391

Aggregator Ncube

Lovemore Milk Ncube Lovemore 0712318049

Aggregator Ndodha

Sarah Milk Ndodha Sarah 0773378778

Aggregator Ngwenya

Emmanuel Milk Ngwenya Emmanuel 0778521718

Aggregator Nkomo

Patrick Milk Nkomo Patrick 0715 319 382

Aggregator Paramu

Franscisca Milk Paramu Francisca 0775653976

Aggregator Takanai

Taurai Milk Takanai Taurai 0783 607 482

Agri Auctions Beef cattle Witness Sibanda 0772633953

Bulawayo Abattoirs Beef cattle SI Brenner

0713433645

263 9

400715/403689

[email protected]

CBS Milk Buhle Nyathi 0771 930480 [email protected]

CC Sales Beef cattle Richard Wakefield 0712 601061 [email protected]

Cernol Chemicals

Dairy

detergents

and sanitizers

Sambulula Michael 0772257621

Dairibord Milk Perseverance

Murambakanda 0772367671

murambakanda@dairibor

d.co.zw

mailto:[email protected]





Company Products Contact and Title Tel No. Email

Dairibord, Chipinge Milk Tecla Thomo 0773263277 [email protected]

Dendairy Milk

Denford Matiringe

(Bulawayo Milk

Depot)

0774 306108 [email protected]

Dendairy, Kwekwe Milk Procurement +263 552552

5870

Discount Butchery Beef Cattle Benjamin

Ziyadhuma 0772662201

Drip-tech Drip

irrigation Chaunoda 0773366470

Gokwe South

District General

Hospital

Milk and

Dairy

products

Procurement (059) 2405

Gokwe South MCC Milk Elias Chiweshe 0775 927631

Kershelmar Milk

Mr. Dhlodhlo

(Procurement

Manager)

0772 252734 keshelmar@kershelmarby

o.co.zw

Koala Park Abattoir

Chiredzi

Abattoir Kadoma

Beef Cattle

Kobus Raath

Carl Tuke

0773 477751

0784 844000

0774 642755

[email protected]

m

kuliteinvestments15@gm

ail.com

Heads and Hooves Beef cattle Chris Androliakos 0779 748230

0712 211856

chrisandroliakos@yahoo.

com

Montana Carswell

Meats Gokwe &

Redcliff

Beef cattle Arthur Rex 0771 247612

059-2855 [email protected]

Montana Carswell

Meats, Masvingo Beef cattle

Rod Fenell

Craig Green

0773 982898

0772 816069

Morestead Venge

Processor

Chirumhanzu

Milk Morestead Venge 0772341448

Ola Farm Cattle

Breeder Sherpard Mutasa 0773856149

Red Tractor Dairy Milk Gavin Cantor 0774 101768

0772 831500

Sabie Meats Beef cattle &

stock feed Neil van der Merwe 0772 214116 [email protected]

Spar Zimbabwe Dairy

products Buyer 0772 977 345

St. Agnes School Dairy

Products Procurement 0775 024223

Umzingwane MCC Milk Sheila Lupuwana 0775 559742











ANNEX 4. LIST OF INPUT SUPPLIERS

The companies below have all been engaged, some expressed an interest to transact and some

transacted with program beneficiaries in target districts during the review period.

Company Products Contact &

Title Tel No. Email

Agrifoods Stock feed Luke Mutemeri 0712 632 333 [email protected]

Cheeseman

Harare

Milk Processing

culture (+2634)306982

Cottco Cotton Motes Mr. Mutauranwa 0773 715297 [email protected]

Chibonda

Hardware Veterinary Drugs

Samuel

Chibonda M 0774 100 066

Ecomark &

Coopers

Veterinary

supplies

Dr. Morgan

Matingo

Dr. Oswin

Choga

0772 282803

0773 724088

[email protected]

[email protected]

Econet

Wireless

Technical

information on

livestock

Beniah

Nyakanda 0774 222867 [email protected]

Farmshop Input Supplier Beven

Mwachinda 0719 656 652

Feed Mix Stock feed Wendy Krog 04-446132 [email protected]

Fivet Veterinary

supplies

Dr. Bruce Fivaz

John Magasi

(sales)

0772 189802

0773 582239

[email protected]

[email protected]

Gains Cash and

Carry Input Suppliers Mr. Mutepfe 0776 337 539 [email protected]

Klein Karoo

Maize, pasture,

and vegetable

seed

Beauty Magiya 0772 339326 [email protected]

Kurima

Machinery

Smallholder

appropriate

technology

Kush Sira 0776307415 [email protected]

Lamour Dairy

Products Milk, dairy animals Gareth Barry 0772 260799 [email protected]

Lion Finance

Zimbabwe Finance

Paul

Chapotaronga

Trevor

Arigundiya

0772 100257

0772 789 534

[email protected]

[email protected]

Luipaardsvlei

Brahmans Brahman bulls Dawie Joubert 0774 334554 [email protected]

Meadow Feeds Stock feed Mark

Androliakos 0712 212338 [email protected]

Micro Plan

Financial

Services

Finance Annah Sithole 0731772732 [email protected]

Murinye Farm Beef Cattle

Breeders Steven Murinye 0772 760 944

National Foods Stock feed Willard

Mukondiwa

0772148713

0733400112 [email protected]

National dairy

Co-op

Milk bulk tanks

and molasses Mr. Watadza 0773 246570

Profeeds, Dairy Inputs Customer +263 773 316
















Company Products Contact &

Title Tel No. Email

Gokwe consultant:

Shawn Machoni

035

Quest Financial

Services Finance James Msipa 0772 573276 [email protected]

Sabie Meats Beef cattle &

stock feed

Neil van der

Merwe 0772 214116 [email protected]

Sheperd

Munemo

Nursey, Gokwe

Fruit trees Mr. Sheperd

Munemo

+263 775 935

151

Rakiten Solar Energy Blessing Rakiten 0776 867 582 [email protected]

Suburban

Veterinary

Practice (SVP)

Veterinary

Service Providers Dr. Chikosi 0772 226 770 [email protected]

Taguta Farm Cattle Breeder Noah Taguta 0772452310

Technical

Hygiene

Solutions-

Semex

Zimbabwe

Semen straws and

nitrogen

Burrel

Dudley

0731493911

0731419427

263242446732/4

[email protected]

UNTU Capital Finance

Clive Msipa

Amon Basuthu

0774 164390

(04)

332968/308746

0773 026 844

[email protected]

Veterinary

Distributors

Animal health

products Nyasha Chipepe (04)793183

Vet

Distributors

Gweru

Animal health

products

Chidhakwa

Courage 0777498008 [email protected]

Windmill

Stock feed and

veterinary

supplies

Claude

Ndavambi 0772 433496 [email protected]

Zimbabwe

Farmers Union

Farmer

Organization Paul Zakariya

0771 564555

0771 564554 [email protected]

Zimnat

Financial

Services

Finance Chifamba

Norman 0772 990413 [email protected]







ANNEX 5: GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS

Value Chain District Natural

Region

Inception to Q1 FY 2020 Q2 FY 2020 Cumulative to date

Female Male Total Female Male Total Female Male Total

Communal Beef

Chipinge V 1,568 1,540 3,108 136 274 410 1,704 1,814 3,518

Chirumhanzu III 490 575 1,065 26 18 44 516 593 1,109

Gokwe South III 315 469 784 46 41 87 361 510 871

Gweru III & IV 558 488 1,046 63 62 125 621 550 1,171

Kwekwe III 738 746 1,484 50 52 102 788 798 1,586

Umzingwane IV 563 420 983 10 5 15 573 425 998

Sub-total 4,232 4,238 8,470 331 452 783 4,563 4,690 9,253

Communal Dairy

Chipinge V 9 21 30 61 72 133 70 93 163

Chirumhanzu III 168 198 366 5 6 11 173 204 377

Gokwe South III 440 568 1,008 2 2 4 442 570 1,012

Gweru III & IV 15 25 40 0 0 0 15 25 40

Kwekwe III 6 4 10 1 1 2 7 5 12

Umzingwane IV 85 75 160 2 4 6 87 79 166

Sub-total 723 891 1,614 71 85 156 794 976 1,770

SSC Dairy

Chipinge V 3 1 4 1 2 3 4 3 7

Chirumhanzu III 17 27 44 0 0 0 17 27 44

Gokwe South III 26 38 64 0 0 0 26 38 64

Gweru III & IV 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 2

Umzingwane IV 8 9 17 0 0 0 8 9 17

Sub-total 54 75 129 1 4 5 55 79 134

Grand Total 5,009 5,204 10,213 403 541 944 5,412 5,745 11,157

Source: CIRIS

Documents

Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program