ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe has reported an impressive 51% surge in raw milk production, driven by the government’s progressive policies and private sector initiatives.
According to the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF), raw milk production rose from 66 million liters in 2017 to 99.82 million liters in 2023.
Additionally, the milk cow population grew by over 61%, from 17,968 to over 29,000 during the same period, with 2023 census results still pending.
The dairy sector continues to grow, with milk production in the first quarter of this year rising 21% to 27,301,904 liters from 22,612,919 liters in the same period last year.
The local dairy industry in Zimbabwe has experienced substantial growth over the past six years, increasing production from 66 million liters in 2017 to an impressive 100 million liters in 2022.
Government policies have helped the country achieve a 17-year high from the 90 million liters recorded in 2006, thanks to collaborative efforts with the private sector and development partners.
According to Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Minister, Dr. Anxious Masuka, the livestock sector is significant to the national food and nutrition security, foreign currency earnings, and a source of livelihood for about 67% of the country’s rural households.
“The dairy value chain is a high employment generator, providing direct employment to approximately 30,000 people and indirectly to 1.3 million households,” Dr. Masuka stated.
“For this reason, the Government has been very keen to support the sector and continues to allocate resources and other forms of support to foster its growth.”
In 2018, the Second Republic initiated the Command Livestock Programme launched by President Mnangagwa, following the distribution of 200 heifers at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in April of the same year.
At the launch, the President highlighted the Government’s facilitation and private sector involvement, stating,
“We are not financing this programme from the fiscus, but we got the money from the private sector, which has renewed confidence in us while we develop our agriculture sector,” he said.
“Those who benefited will have to repay after five years, and we are confident that by then we will have empowered a lot of our people, as we seek to build our national economy.”
Additional projects that have also contributed to the dairy sector’s resurgence include the Presidential Sileage Programme (PSP), the Presidential Input Scheme (PIS), and efforts to control Foot and Mouth and January diseases.
The Livestock Recovery and Growth Plan (LRGP) and supportive fiscal policies have also played crucial roles.
To further revitalize the industry, Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, introduced a 5% levy on the value of imported dairy products to recapitalize the Dairy Revitalisation Fund (DRF) in the 2022 Budget.
The report comes as the country joins the rest of the world in celebrating World Milk Day on June 1,
This year’s theme, “Celebrating the vital role dairy plays in delivering quality nutrition to nourish the world,” highlights the essential contributions of the dairy sector to global food security.
Established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN, World Milk Day has been celebrated since 2001 to emphasize the importance of milk as a global food and the dairy sector’s significant impact on society.
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