Research Strategies

Collaborations with stakeholders such as Agritex, Universities and other government departments. Areas of collaborations include:

• On farm research and demonstrations
• Information dissemination
• Farmer advisory services
• Capacity building

b) Strategic Partnerships with the private sector i.e Cooper Zimbabwe.

• Research trials
• Provision material resources for research

c) Dissemination of information on appropriate livestock technologies developed through research. Medium of dissemination include:

• Literature ( technical handbooks, brochures, guides)
• Local media (TV and newspaper)
• Agricultural exhibition shows, open and field days.
• Station visits by farmer and other stakeholders
• Exchange programs

d) Commercialization of research

• Income generating projects using products of research as a revolving fund.

Conservation of animal and plant genetics

The project was initiated when the indigenous cattle resources were threatened because of indiscriminate crossbreeding. Pasture plant species are being conserved due to the unavailability of seed material. The objective of the programme is the multiplication, promotion and dissemination of Tuli, Mashona cattle and Boer goat genetics resources and pasture grasses and legumes seed. The target is to conserve 100 Mashona, 500 Tuli and 200 Boer goat and 200 Dorper sheep breeding females and 100kg of each pasture seed variety.

Sample Pasture seed under conservation