Transforming pastoral pursuits into profitable livestock enterprises in southern Africa
Animal Feeding / Cattle / Event report / Feeds / ILRI / Intensification / PIL / PIM / Pro-Poor Livestock / Scaling / Southern Africa / Value Chains / Zimbabwe

Transforming pastoral pursuits into profitable livestock enterprises in southern Africa

At the Ezwilini Conference, experts were trying to find ways to unlock the livestock value chain, finances and access to credit for rural farmers. They probed issues to do with improving the livelihoods of livestock smallholder farmers and other value chain actors through value addition and marketing. Continue reading

Beef fattening ready for take-off in southern Africa with new financing made available to smallholders
Animal Feeding / Botswana / Cattle / Event report / Feeds / ILRI / Intensification / Malawi / Mozambique / News clipping / PIL / PIM / Pro-Poor Livestock / Scaling / Southern Africa / Tanzania / Value Chains / Zimbabwe

Beef fattening ready for take-off in southern Africa with new financing made available to smallholders

Rural farmers in Zimbabwe and the whole of Southern Africa are set to receive a major boost in their livestock production through the expected launch of the beef value chain finance initiative this year. The initiative, whose pilot project was successfully undertaken in Swaziland, includes a loan scheme for smallholder farmers who want to take up beef fattening for the market. This came out during the on-going International Conference on Livestock Value Chain and Access to Credit being held in Ezulwini, Swaziland. Continue reading

Africa / Animal Feeding / Animal Production / Climate Change / Crop residues / Crop-Livestock / Fodder / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Southern Africa

Livestock systems in Swaziland: Adapt or perish

A changing climate will prompt changes in behaviour across southern Africa. And when it comes to adaptation, Swazi farmer Bongani Phakathi is a frustrated man a few steps ahead of his neighbours. Traditionally, livestock in Swaziland grazes in the fields during winter, eating what’s left behind after maize and other crops are harvested. But Phakathi … Continue reading