Constraints and Opportunities in Extensive Goat Production Systems in Agroecological Region V of Buhera and Nkayi Districts of Zimbabwe

This study aimed to assess the opportunities and constraints within the extensive goat production system of Zimbabwe. This was carried out using a literature review, key informant interviews and a household questionnaire. The low-quality feeds and limited supply coupled with low management levels and high disease prevalence contribute to low productivity and herd growth as observed by the small herd sizes of 44% in Buhera and 57% in Nkayi having less than 10 goats. The low buck ownership of 38% in Buhera and 53% in Nkayi contributes to the low conception rates. A total of 97% of farmers in Buhera and 33% in Nkayi offered crop residues as the main dry season supplementary feed with 41% in Nkayi not offering any form of supplementary feed, scaled adoption of forage legume was observed however the land allocated to forage production average 0.1ha resulting in insufficient quantities of feed being produced to cover dry season supplementary feed requirements. Low adoption of disease prevention practices such as dipping with 7% of farmers in Nkayi and none in Buhera and vaccination against tickborne diseases was observed in both sites. Drought was one of the other issues noted, scoring a high 20 in Buhera and 16 in Nkayi overall, which had a major impact on the goats’ limited access to feed and water. In Zimbabwe’s agroecological zone V, the implementation of climate-smart practices presents the potential to improve resilience, productivity, and mitigation of climate change in extensive goat production systems in agroecological zone V of Zimbabwe.