THERESA ZIBOWA
MIRROR REPORTER

CHIKOMBA-Mashonaland East Director for Agriculture and Rural Development Services (ARDA) Leonard Munamati has urged farmers in Chikomba to venture into commercial livestock rearing.
He urged over 800 farmers who gathered for a district livestock field day at Mashinya Homestead in Hampshire, Ward 13 under Chief Nyoka, to boost the national cattle head.
The Machinya homestead has 1000 cattle and over 300 sheep of different breeds.
The field day was held under the theme ‘Livestock Recovery Plan’.
Aspiring Member of Parliament (MP) for Chikomba West Constituency Tatenda Mavetera, Chikomba Rural District Council (RDC) chairperson Israel Dhikinya, and several Agro dealers attended the field day.
Munamati said the main objective of the field day was to educate and advise farmers on how to revive livestock production.
He emphasized that farmers should vaccinate, dehorn, cross breed and keep records to increase the growth of livestock in the district.
“We have witnessed a great production in livestock farming in Hampshire, Chikomba district. I urge farmers to take livestock farming seriously as it boosts our agriculture sector in Zimbabwe. We should also vaccinate, brand, cross breed and dehorn our livestock to obtain high yield in livestock farming,” said Munamati.
Farmers were also educated on the types of feed that boost production in livestock farming. He talked about types of grasses like Lucerne, Velvet bean and Katambora Rhodes grass that were recommended to the farmers.
Agritex Supervisor of wards 5, 6 and 13 in Chikomba, Trust Musariri, urged farmers to work with Agritex and the Veterinary Department to increase production and have a healthy herd.
Dhikinya told the farmers that the council has allocated land for an abattoir, and there is a need for an investor to carry out the project.