New Livestock And Fisheries Department Aims To Unlock 5,7 Million Herd
On a dusty roadside in Gokwe North, 54-year-old farmer Maidei Zhou watches a buyer circle her pen of Brahman-cross steers. She knows the animals are healthy — she’s nursed them through drought, tick-borne disease scares, and long walks to distant dip tanks. But when it comes time to sell, she feels the familiar knot in her stomach.
The grader at the abattoir in Kwekwe will decide what they’re worth. And like so many communal farmers, Maidei worries that, because her animals are indigenous crosses and not sleek feedlot beasts, she’ll walk away with less than she believes they’re worth.
It’s that kind of frustration the Government says it now wants to tackle head-on.
Zimbabwe has established a new Department of Livestock and Fisheries Production, a structural shake-up aimed at unlocking more value from an estimated 5,7 million-strong national cattle herd and other animal resources, most of which are held by smallholder farmers in communal areas. The department, which came into effect last month, consolidates the former fisheries and aquaculture portfolio with livestock production under one umbrella, in a bid to drive commercialisation, market access, and inclusive growth across animal production systems.
Director Milton Makumbe told the Herald the move marks a significant policy shift as Government steps up efforts to transform livestock from a largely subsistence store of wealth into a dynamic, income-generating enterprise.
“Our thrust is to unlock value within these livestock systems, especially for small-scale farmers who hold the majority of the national herd,” said Makumbe. “We want farmers to begin to see livestock not just as a store of wealth, but as a business capable of generating meaningful income.”
What Is Changing With The New Department?
Makumbe said the new Department of Livestock and Fisheries Production merges structures that previously operated in silos. By bringing livestock, fisheries, and aquaculture under one roof, Government hopes to improve coordination of policy, extension, research, and infrastructure investment.
On paper, the department has a clear mandate:
- Maximise returns from all livestock sub-sectors — beef, dairy, small stock, poultry, and fisheries.
- Shift the sector from subsistence to commercial production, particularly for smallholders.
- Align policies and regulations with market realities to ensure fairness and inclusivity.
- Leverage shared infrastructure, research capacity, and extension services across livestock and fisheries.
The reorganisation sits squarely within the country’s Vision 2030 and the agriculture targets under National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which prioritise rural industrialisation, value addition, and food security. It also echoes regional goals under AU Agenda 2063 to raise productivity and incomes from livestock — one of Africa’s biggest yet underused asset classes.
Why 5,7 Million Cattle Are Still ‘Underutilised’
Zimbabwe’s herd — approximately 5,7 million cattle according to official estimates — is heavily concentrated in communal and resettlement areas. For decades, cattle have functioned as a “walking bank” for rural households, underpinning social status, draught power, and emergency savings rather than steady cashflow.
Makumbe calls this an “immense but underutilised” resource base.
Turning those animals into a stronger economic engine means tackling several entrenched issues:
- Low off-take rates: Many households sell only in crisis or for major events, limiting regular income and weakening formal value chains.
- Market power imbalances: Communal farmers often negotiate from a position of weakness with middlemen and abattoirs.
- Infrastructure gaps: Poor roads, inadequate handling facilities, and limited cold chain reduce access to high-value markets.
- Regulatory barriers: Grading systems and quality standards can unintentionally penalise indigenous breeds and extensive production systems.
For farmers like Maidei in Gokwe or young stock owners in Tsholotsho and Bikita, those barriers show up as lower prices, higher costs, and limited incentives to invest in better genetics, feed, or animal health.
Why Carcass Grading Rules Are Under Review
One of the first concrete areas under scrutiny is Statutory Instrument 182, which governs carcass grading in Zimbabwe. Stakeholders have long argued that the current framework is skewed towards exotic breeds and high-input production systems, pushing down the prices paid for animals typical of communal and small-scale herds.
Makumbe acknowledged these concerns and hinted at changes ahead.
“There is need to review such frameworks to ensure fairness and inclusivity,” he said. “Our indigenous breeds must not be prejudiced in the market system, as this undermines farmer confidence and limits value realisation.”
This debate is not unique to Zimbabwe. Across the region, from South Africa’s Nguni to Namibia’s Sanga breeds, indigenous cattle are often valued for their hardiness, disease resistance, and ability to thrive on marginal grazing — qualities that matter even more under climate stress. Yet grading systems frequently reward carcass traits associated with feedlot animals, rather than the broader resilience and adaptability of local genetics.
FFA Explainer:
Carcass grading is the process of classifying meat based on factors like fat cover, conformation (shape), age, and sometimes breed type. Grades influence the price paid to farmers and the markets meat can enter. If grading rules don’t reflect the realities of indigenous or smallholder systems, farmers can be systematically underpaid.
Revisiting SI 182 could therefore be a high-impact lever — not just a technical adjustment. If done well, it can improve price signals to smallholder farmers, reward good herd management in communal areas, and support investment in locally adapted breeds.
Dairy: From Collection Centre To Commercial Hub
Beyond beef, the new department is placing strong emphasis on revitalising Zimbabwe’s struggling dairy sub-sector.
Makumbe outlined plans to strengthen milk collection centres and enhance their commercial viability, recognising that these hubs are the bridge between small-scale producers and processors.
“We want to see a dairy industry that is vibrant, competitive and inclusive,” he said. “By strengthening aggregation systems and market linkages, we can bring more players into the sector and unlock opportunities for smallholder farmers.”
The strategy under discussion includes:
- Upgrading or rehabilitating milk collection centres so they meet safety and quality standards.
- Encouraging value addition through diversified dairy products beyond raw milk — yoghurt, sour milk, cheese, and flavoured drinks.
- Improving branding and packaging so local dairy can compete on formal retail shelves.
- Expanding market access, including institutional buyers like schools, hospitals, and the hospitality sector.
In districts like Chipinge, Kwekwe, and Marondera, where smallholder dairy schemes and cooperatives have a long history, these reforms could breathe new life into dormant or underused infrastructure. For women and youth in particular — who often manage household milking and small herds — better access to chilling facilities and formal buyers can turn two or three cows into steady monthly income.
Smallholder dairy case studies FFA has covered previously show how reliable collection and fair pricing can ripple through communities: school fees paid on time, investments in solar power, and reinvestment in better genetics and feed.
Fisheries And Livestock Under One Roof: What Synergies?
The integrated department is also expected to drive closer coordination between livestock and fisheries, sectors that share more than most people realise.
At policy level, the combination allows Government to:
- Use shared extension staff to support integrated farming systems, such as fish ponds combined with livestock manure management.
- Align research on feed, disease control, and breeding across species.
- Rationalise infrastructure investments, for example in cold chain and processing facilities that serve both meat and fish.
For farmers, especially those near dams and irrigation schemes like Mazowe, Chivero, or Mutange, integrated planning could open up pathways into fish farming without abandoning cattle or goats. Youth-focused aquaculture projects, backed by extension officers who understand both fish and livestock systems, could become part of broader livelihoods rather than a side-experiment.
FFA Explainer:
Integrated livestock–fish systems link different enterprises on the same farm — for example, using manure from cattle or poultry to fertilise fish ponds, or using pond water rich in nutrients to irrigate crops. Done carefully, these systems can raise overall productivity and reduce waste, but they require good management to avoid pollution and disease.
From Policy To Kraals: What This Means For Smallholders
While the new department and its language of “unlocking value” may sound distant to farmers, the tangible changes it promises could touch everyday decisions in kraals and pens across the country.
Potential benefits, if reforms are implemented well, include:
- Fairer prices at sale: A reviewed carcass grading system that recognises indigenous and cross-bred animals could put more cash in farmers’ pockets.
- Better market information: A unified department may be better placed to collect and share national data on livestock and fish prices, guiding farmers on when and where to sell.
- Improved extension services: Coordinated livestock and fisheries extension could reduce duplication and bring more relevant technical support to remote wards.
- New value chains: Stronger dairy and fish value chains open space for feed producers, transporters, processors, and retailers — roles often taken up effectively by women and youth.
The alignment with Vision 2030’s rural industrialisation pillar is clear: if cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, and fish are better integrated into formal value chains, rural business activity rises. That means more jobs, more local processing, and more opportunities beyond primary production.
Analysts quoted by the Herald say this is a critical inflexion point: with policy reforms on the horizon and a renewed institutional focus, livestock could move from the margins of agricultural planning into a central, strategic role in national economic transformation.
Women, Youth, And Inclusive Livestock Growth
Although the official announcement doesn’t explicitly single out gender or age, any effort to unlock livestock value will succeed or fail on whether it serves the people who actually handle animals daily — very often women and young people.
Across Zimbabwe, women manage small dairy herds, village chickens, goats, and sometimes even the main cattle herd, while youth increasingly engage in broilers, piggery, and aquaculture. Inclusive growth in livestock and fisheries, therefore, means more than just adjusting grading rules. It calls for:
- Deliberate training for women and youth in animal health, business management, and cooperative marketing.
- Financing models that recognise communal land realities and don’t rely solely on title deeds as collateral.
- Support for youth-led processing and cold-chain businesses linked to new dairy and fisheries value chains.
Programmes like youth livestock agripreneurship initiatives and women’s livestock cooperatives already demonstrate what’s possible when institutional reforms meet grassroots energy.
Risks, Gaps, And The Road Ahead
The restructuring, however promising, does not automatically guarantee better prices or productivity. Several risk areas remain:
- Implementation capacity: A new department needs resources, skilled staff, and strong leadership to avoid simply reshuffling boxes on an organogram.
- Communication with farmers: If reforms to grading, dairy policy, or fisheries licensing are not clearly communicated, confusion and mistrust can grow.
- Balancing commercialisation and equity: Pushing aggressively for commercial production without safety nets could leave the poorest households behind.
Still, for farmers like Maidei in Gokwe, the signal from Harare offers grounds for cautious optimism.
If SI 182 is genuinely reviewed with communal producers at the table, if milk collection centres in places like Rusitu or Umzingwane are revived with fair contracts, and if fisheries officers work alongside veterinary teams on integrated plans, the new Department of Livestock and Fisheries Production could become more than just a name change.
It could be the beginning of a new bargain between the State and the 5,7 million-strong herd — and the families who tend it, day after day, in heat, dust, and rain.
On her roadside stand, as the buyer runs a hand along the back of her steer, Maidei thinks beyond today’s price. She thinks about what it would mean if, next time, the grading system recognised the value she’s been building all along.
That’s where policy becomes personal. And that’s where Zimbabwe’s livestock future will be decided — one carcass grade, one milk can, one net of fish at a time.
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