Zimbabwe targets 150M liters of milk production for 2025

ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe has set an ambitious milk production target of 113 million litres for 2024, with plans to increase this figure to 150 million litres by 2025.

According to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development’s Dairy Services Department, achieving these targets will require continued investment in livestock additions and enhancements in milk productivity per cow per day.

The ministry revealed that Zimbabwe’s raw milk production surged by 20% to 55.11 million liters in the first half of 2024, up from 45.90 million liters in the same period in 2023.

This growth is remarkable given the challenges of an El Niño-induced drought affecting agriculture nationwide.

Historically, Zimbabwe’s milk production peaked at 260 million liters in 1990, but it plummeted to 40 million liters in 2008 due to drought and high feed costs.

The government and development partners aim to achieve a national target of 130 million liters in 2024, involving 1,500 dairy farmers.

Zimbabwe struggled to meet milk demand for years, relying on imports from South Africa and Belgium. The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development’s Dairy Services Department reported a 20% increase in processors’ milk intake to 50.64 million liters in early 2024, compared to 42.07 million liters in 2023.

Retail milk production rose by 17% to 4.46 million liters from 3.82 million liters the previous year.

A crucial factor in this improved output is the collaboration between the Zimbabwean government and the EU-funded Transforming the Zimbabwe Dairy Value Chain for the Future (TranZDVC) project.

This initiative supports small-scale farmers with resources like calves and lucerne grass seeds, enhancing production efficiency and sustainability.

Lucerne, a high-protein forage, contains 18-22% protein, surpassing maize hay (8%) and quality grass silage (14%). Its introduction has improved feed nutrition and lowered production costs, dropping milk costs from US$0.70 to US$0.50 per liter.

Dr. Edson Chifamba, an international dairy expert, emphasized lucerne’s cost-effectiveness and drought resilience, noting its increasing adoption among small-scale farmers.

Despite the drought, lucerne’s deep-rooted system has ensured reliable pasture, proving invaluable under current El Niño conditions while cereals struggle. Although the exact tonnage of lucerne produced remains unquantified, its resilience has been critical in sustaining milk production.

Zimbabwe aims for a milk production target of 113 million liters in 2024, with plans to reach 150 million liters by 2025. Achieving these goals will require ongoing livestock investment and enhanced cow productivity.