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Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]

THE French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (Cirad) has introduced projects such goat keeping and value addition of non-timber products in Binga District as part of community empowerment.

Established in 2018 under the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) programme, the intervention seeks to capacitate locals to tackle human-wildlife conflict in a sustainable manner.

Most parts of Binga District fall within the Zimbabwean agro-ecological classification of natural region five described as unsuitable for any agricultural use except extensive grazing.

The SWM programme, thus, seems to promote good natural resources utilisation, including wildlife, as an economic and sustainable land-use option.

The initiative operates on the basic philosophy of returning the management of wildlife and other natural resources to the local inhabitants.

While in the past humans used to kill wild animals for livelihood, the Cirad SMW programme provides people with opportunities to engage in something else to earn a living instead of killing animals.

In an interview, Cirad site co-ordinator Mr Maxwell Phiri said since the commencement of the project, they have sourced 36 bucks, which include 21 Kalahari and 15 Boer goats, which are meant to support cross-breeding so as to improve body frames for the local goats.

He said the bucks are used by communities on rotational custodianship basis where the lead farmer hosts the buck for some time for servicing of his/her female goats and those for neighbours’ and then passes the buck to another lead farmer who does the same.

“The bucks have so far sired over 1 500 kids, which are either being kept or sold by owners. The project facilitated selling of about 70 goats to Acacia Abattoirs in Bulawayo and this was quite motivational to farmers who in the process were taught how to identify and engage markets for their livestock,” he said.

“The project will continue supporting beneficiaries to develop their markets.”

Last month Binga goat producers under SWM brought more than 100 goats, which were sold to Bulawayo butcheries.

The demand for goat meat continues to rise with many people opting for it due to its perceived health benefits. 

Recently Cirad brought the Binga community representatives to visit companies who are into processing of non-timber products, specifically honey, baobab and tamarind.

Cirad business and market development officer, Mr John Siambare, said last year they brought goat producers and this year they brought non-timber products farmers all in a bid to identify the market and what it wants so that they do market-oriented production.

He said this is meant to empower the community so that they benefit from the resources they have while eliminating the middlemen who used to buy from them at unfair prices.

The SWM programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by a consortium of partners including the Food and Agriculture Organisations of the United Nations (FAO), the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (Cirad), the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Cirad is implementing the initiative in Zimbabwe with the support of the Government and Binga Rural District Council. — @SikhulekelaniM1