Malawi stagnates in livestock sector

Malawi Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ulemu Chilapondwa says the country stagnated in the livestock sector because of inadequate emphasis in the current agriculture strategies and policies towards the livestock industry.

Most of Malawi’s beef production comes from the stallholder cattle population which in 2008 was estimated at just 900 000 versus a population of 13 million.

The stagnation in the livestock sector has also led to the reduction of consumption beef and other livestock-based products.

Speaking during the opening of the Malawi Beef Value Chain conference in Lilongwe on Tuesday, Chilapondwa said apart from the inadequate emphasis in the current strategies in the livestock sector, the overall slow growth of the economy is also one of the major factors that has led to the slow growth of the sector.

Said Chilapondwa : “The poor performance of the cropping sector as the demands for cropping land increase is forcing farmers to put emphasis on crops displacing livestock in the process. Farmers in the country also suffer from several capacity constraints including lack of financial resources to purchase cows. This coupled with poor livestock management; inadequate capacity and lack of slaughter houses to support processing of cattle into beef products, have negatively affected the growth of the livestock sector.”

He said the livestock policies in Malawi are outdated as such, the country fails to attain regional and international standards.

“The drop of beef could not only be due to decreasing numbers of cattle against increasing human population but also due to substitution of beef in favour of pork. The decline in Malawi’s beef can also be attributed to the high cost per kilogramme as compared to pork,” said Chilapondwa.

Director of Animal Health and Livestock Development Bernard Chimera concurred with Chilapondwa that some of the aspects in the livestock policy are outdated making it difficult for the country to export its livestock.

“The policy we have now is outdated because each policy has a lifespan. The one we are using now expired in 2008 and all along things have been changing, but we have somehow stagnated. As a country, we have lost a bit because even if we could have enough livestock to export it could be very difficult,” said Chimera.

He said government is working with other stakeholders within and outside the county to come up with a new policy and four strategies which will be operational in 2014.