Room For Improvement In Livestock Population Growth – Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

In spite of increased demand for beef, poultry and other meats within Zambia, very few farmers are taking advantage of this expanding market.

Experts have said that Zambia needs to expand its veterinary services so that farmers are more easily able to take care of livestock if the country is to realise the goal of becoming a net exporter of meat and meat products. 

Academic articles have demonstrated that demand for animal products constantly out-strips the production and supply of these products, with livestock production estimated at only 30% of the agricultural GDP over the last 25 years.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Dr Benson Mwenya, revealed recently that he believes there is a lot of room for improvement in the provision of veterinary services if the country is to realise its potential within the meat industry.

Dr Mwenya, speaking with Zambian Business Times, said that an increase in animal numbers would likely bring an increase in diseases. Subsequently, increasing the number of veterinary hospitals within the country is imperative if livestock population is to increase.

He also acknowledged that the country does not have enough veterinarians and that most of the veterinary hospitals are privately owned, only allowing a select few richer individuals to utilise their facilities.

Dr Mwenya finished in saying that the government tries to marry the number of animals to the number of facilities, however with only five regional veterinary laboratories in the country, there is certainly room for improvement to help increase livestock production within the country.