Wed, 10 May 2017 10:27:48 +0000 By Davis Mulenga It is undisputed fact that any average Zambian smallholder livestock farmer has inadequate resources to monitor, control and prevent livestock diseases outbreaks. The wrenching story of Emmanuel Musole of Chikankanta district in Southern Province, typifies the huge challenges thousands of smallholder Zambian livestock farmers encounter in preventing and controlling cattle diseases. “In 2013 I had about 16 heads of cattle. One morning I woke up and more than half of them had died from a mysterious disease,” Musole says. It later transpired after an agriculture extension officer examined the carcasses that Musole’s herd of cattle was being ravaged by Foot and Mouth disease. Quick preventative measures recommended by the extension officer ensured that the remaining cattle survived. Musole is not alone in this dilemma. Adding to the dilemma of livestock smallholder farmers are plethora of constraints. For example, vaccinations are not usually conducted at scheduled […]
Zambia in major breakthrough to prevent, control livestock diseases
