Quarterly Report #2 FY2017: Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Program

The program aims to reduce rural poverty and improve household food security, incomes, and nutritional status among beef and dairy smallholder producers through increased production, productivity, and market linkages. Activities are focused in agro-ecological regions III, IV, and V, targeting low-income and food-insecure households with the potential to transition from subsistence to small-scale commercial farmers. The program is implemented by Fintrac Inc. in partnership with subcontractor ABS-TCM and other local private companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Division of Livestock Production and Development, the Department of Veterinary Services, and other Zimbabwean government departments involved in the beef and dairy value chains. Local NGOs and commercial companies work with the program as development partners, co-funding purchases of essential inputs and new technologies for demonstration purposes. Commercialization of small-scale beef and dairy farmers on communal and non-contested land is being achieved through several strategies, including raising efficiencies in beef and dairy production systems, facilitating access to inputs, technology, finance, and credit, linking producers to local, national, regional, and international buyers, training farmers to adopt good agricultural, business, and animal husbandry practices, and strengthening the capacity of the program's local partners to implement agricultural development programs. The program is building demand for smallholder-produced beef and dairy products by focusing on quality, continuity of supply, and cost-competitiveness. It also collaborates with the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Crop Development program and other donor programs to provide specialized technical support to produce nutritious crops that sustainably increase the availability of these foods among beneficiary households. Key activities implemented during the second quarter of FY2017 include beneficiary identification and registration, incremental sales, productivity improvements, nutrition and WASH interventions, business development and financial linkages, and local capacity development. The program has also conducted training and technical assistance, environmental mitigation and monitoring, and gender mainstreaming activities.