Veterinary indaba to put dairy health at centre of national food security agenda

Agriculture Reporter

VETERINARY professionals will today converge in Bulawayo for an indaba focused on taking stock of the veterinary sector, sharing expertise and collectively drafting solutions to challenges faced in the dairy industry.

The indaba, organised by the Council of Veterinary Surgeons of Zimbabwe (CVSZ), brings together professionals at a time when the country’s food and nutrition security agenda is placing renewed emphasis on strengthening domestic agricultural production, resilient value chains and the capacity of farmers to produce safe and nutritious food.

CVSZ registrar, Dr Brian Fungai Chikodze, said the Bulawayo engagement will have a particular focus on dairy animal health and milk production and continuing professional development (CPD) in dairy health.

“The choice of dairy is strategic. Milk is not simply another agricultural commodity. It is an important source of high-quality protein and other nutrients, while the dairy industry provides livelihoods across the production, processing, distribution and retail value chain.

“Improving milk production requires attention not only to genetics, feed and farm management, but also to the health and welfare of the dairy animal. A healthy dairy animal is a productive animal,” he said.

Dr Chikodze said veterinary professionals occupied an important position in the dairy value chain, as effective disease prevention, herd health management, reproductive management, responsible use of veterinary medicines, biosecurity and early disease detection could all influence productivity and the quality and safety of milk entering the food chain.

“Zimbabwe’s agricultural transformation agenda has increasingly recognised the need to move beyond subsistence production towards productive, resilient and competitive agricultural value chains. The objectives of the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy are similarly concerned with increasing agricultural productivity, strengthening food and nutrition security, improving value-chain performance and building resilience within the agricultural sector.

“The veterinary profession has a direct contribution to make to those objectives,” he said.

Livestock diseases have an impact on reducing production, undermine household incomes, increase production costs and compromise market access.

Dr Chikodze said effective animal-health systems could improve productivity, protect livelihoods and strengthen confidence in animal-derived products.

“For the dairy farmer, these issues are immediate and practical. A disease affecting fertility, lactation or herd health can have a direct economic consequence. At national level, however, the cumulative effect of poor animal health can translate into reduced domestic production, greater dependence on imports and lost opportunities along the agricultural value chain,” he said.

The indaba provides an opportunity for the veterinary profession to look beyond individual clinical cases and consider its broader contribution to Zimbabwe’s development.

It also reflects the increasingly important One Health perspective, under which the health of animals, people and the environment is recognised as interconnected.

“Milk must not only be produced in sufficient quantities; it must also be safe for consumption. Responsible veterinary oversight, prudent use of veterinary medicines and appropriate attention to disease control and food-chain risks are consequently important components of protecting consumers.

“A stronger dairy sector can contribute to rural livelihoods, domestic food supplies, employment and the development of associated agricultural industries. Strengthening animal health is therefore not merely a veterinary concern — it is part of strengthening the productive capacity of the agricultural sector,” he said.

Dr Chikodze said regulation should help create the conditions for a competent, ethical and accountable veterinary workforce capable of supporting animal health, public health, food safety, agricultural productivity and economic resilience.

“Veterinary science continues to evolve, and professionals need access to current knowledge and practical expertise if they are to provide effective services to farmers and the livestock industry,” he said.