Presentation by Prof. Carroll Themba Khombe at the 5th All Africa conference on animal production, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-28 October 2010.

1. COMMERCIALIZATION OF BEEF
PRODUCTION AFTER THE FAST
TRACK LAND REFORM PROGRAM
IN ZIMBABWE: A CASE STUDY OF
NEW SETTLEMENTS IN MANGWE
DISTRICT.
Prof. Carroll Themba Khombe
Institute for Rural Technologies, 49 J. Tongogara, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 25-28, 2010

2. The Fast Track Land Reforms resulted in a
radical transformation of the agricultural
sector:
3 000 mainly white commercial farmers ceded
the land to about 20 000 black farmers
• Collapse of commercial agriculture
• Human Rights violations
• Food insecurity
• Economic callaspe
• Targetted sanctions
• Widthdrawal from the World Bank and
IMF

3. Revolutionary changes resulted in the break-
down of the beef industry since;
• by 1993, the commercial herd fell from
30% to 7 % of the national herd;
• high level commodity chains collapsed
because of reduced supply and demand
• massive unemployment and economic
collapse

4. The process opened opportunities for
smallholder farmers to participate meaningfully
in the high value commodity chain
Smallholder farmers were settled in larger land
holdings in villagised commercial settlements
Home steads
Fields
Communal Pastures
Livestock
Home stead
Communal Pastures
Livestock
Fields
Draught Animals
Milking Cows
Finishing Animals to the Market
Villagise
d A1
model
Individualise
d
A2 model
3-Tier model
Additional grazing

5. Researchers from IRT undertook a Land and
Livelihoods study from 2007 to 2008.
Study covered Fast Track resettlement farms in
Mangwe district:
• 15 villagised resettlement areas (A1 model) of
Marula ward (364 households)
• 5 farms in Marula ward & 8 farms in
Empandeni ward (A2 model with 169 families
• 13 farms acquired for grazing for communal
areas (3-tier model with 667 families)

6. Thirteen youths were trained to conduct the
Land and Livelihoods survey
These enumerators visited individual farms
and completed the questionnaire through
holding one-on-one interviews with the
plotholders.
The data collected was analysed using SPSS.

7. Criteria was used to determine the status of
the settlers to engage in commercial beef
production:
• Profiles of the plotholders
• Formation of farmer organizations
• Level of application of improved beef
husbandry practices
• Availability of infrastructure to enhance
beef production
• Type and numbers of cattle available in
the farms.

8. Profile of Settlers
Resettlement Model
Total
A1 A2 3-tier
Gender Male 152 118 353 623
Female 53 15 76 144
Age Group < 15 years 4 0 2 6
15 to 65
years
186 113 317 616
>65 years 10 21 113 144
Responses given for profiles of individuals that were
resettled in the Fast Track Resettlement Program in
Mangwe District

9. Profile of Settlers
Resettlement Model
TotalA1 A2 3-tier
Level of
education
No education 22 5 30 57
Primary 55 84 198 337
Secondary 48 41 123 212
Certificate 7 6 21 34
Employment
status
Not
employed
79 63 256 396
Employed 62 41 77 180
Self
employed
60 31 97 188
Responses given for profiles of individuals that were
resettled in the Fast Track Resettlement Program in
Mangwe District

10. Type of institution
Resettlement Model
Total
A1 A2 3-tier
Commodity
Associations
Yes 62 8 64 134
No 90 39 338 467
Irrigation
Committees
Yes 52 16 82 150
No 115 32 324 471
Cooperative
Projects
Yes 90 7 93 190
No 80 39 313 432
Number of respondents that were aware about the
existence of farmers’ groupings to exploit economies
of scale

11. Profile of Settlers
Resettlement Model
TotalA1 A2 3-tier
Methods of
castration
Do not castrate 33 8 5 46
Knife 22 36 45 103
Burdizzo 92 78 340 510
Method of
animal
identification
No identification 12 0 0 12
Paint 0 5 3 8
Branding 57 94 193 344
Ear notching /tag 14 1 2 17
Methods of
deworming
No dosing 26 1 89 116
Bottle 62 41 220 323
Medicine
applicator
16 11 21 48
Responses received about the application of improved livestock
husbandry practices in the resettlement areas.

12. `
Profile of Settlers
Resettlement Model
TotalA1 A2 3-tier
Methods of
tick
removal
Do not use
anything
10 29 5 44
Apply tick grease 4 16 38 58
Apply pour-on
acaricide
1 0 1 2
Plunge dip 130 56 317 503
Spray race 12 25 6 43
Other methods 1 0 32 33
Method of Do not wean 39 11 300 350
Separation 28 15 19 62
Responses received about the application of improved livestock
husbandry practices in the resettlement areas.

13. Profile of Settlers
Resettlement Model
TotalA1 A2 3-tier
Number
of
functional
paddocks
Zero 9 39 192 240
1 to 5 86 74 39 199
5 to 10 66 3 72 71
10 to 15 37 0 40 77
Above
15
0 0 2 2
Number
of
functional
None 38 78 248 364
1 138 40 94 272
2 18 0 3 21
Livestock infrastructure that is available in the
resettlement Areas

14. Profile of Settlers
Resettlement Model
TotalA1 A2 3-tier
Number of
cattle per
household
No cattle 16 8 97 121
1 to 5 63 13 29 105
6 to 10 13 8 60 81
11 to 15 5 7 32 44
16 to 20 7 4 20 31
>25 7 16 36 59
Major
cattle
breeds
Indigenous 43 19 87 149
Exotic 6 1 11 18
Mixed 13 2 75 90
Response showing cattle holdings in the
resettlement areas

15. CONCLUSION
Urgent measures need to be taken to resuscitate
commercial beef production in Zimbabwe
Need to support the commodity chains that create
employment and revenue.
Recommended that investments should be made in
the following areas:
• restocking the new farms using adapted high
yielding breeds
• strengthening farmers-driven commodity
associations
• establishing linkages with high value markets