Zimbabwe cattle traceability scheme celebrates 25 years of service to the livestock industry

The Livestock Identification Trust (LIT) celebrates its 25th year of business this month.  The office opened on August 16, 1999 with Dr Mario Beffa as the General Manager and a team of 23 staff members.

At an event held to celebrate this milestone achievement, Dr Beffa shared an insight into the Trust’s inception and growth and also gave thanks to those involved in the Trust’s journey. As the agricultural landscape continues to evolve with technological advancements and shifting consumer demands, the LIT has endured, proving itself to be an indispensable resource for farmers, ranchers, and stakeholders alike and it looks forward to the future with optimism and determination.

Established by funding provided by the Commercial Farmer’s Union, the Trust has had a presence in Exhibition Park for most of its history. Except for a short spell in premises on Coventry Road when AgLabs was set up, LIT has been in the same place for 25 years. Starting out in the building of the old Show Office, the office has now become an open-plan space and in 2016, the adjacent offices were converted into a boardroom for use by LIT and its many affiliated organisations.

The Trust was set up to provide traceability services to those producers exporting beef to the European Union (EU). Guided by EU protocols and procedures, the Trust was successful in its mandate in setting up a tagging system to trace exports from farm to fork. The LIT met stringent EU audit procedures and the system that was designed and implemented has been fully sustainable from its introduction.

It is this enduring and workable model that has been the framework for the establishment of other traceability programmes in Africa and Dr Beffa has been invited to consult in Ethiopia, South Sudan and Botswana as well as in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Mauritius.

Although exports to the EU no longer occur, the Trust continues to sell tags as an important on-farm management tool that is used by small-holder and commercial cattle owners as well as breeders of pedigree livestock.  Accurate record keeping is essential in the stud industry to verify parentage, calves born in a particular year and to maintain stock precise registers.

Over the many years, sheep, crocodile and wildlife tags have also been sold as well as tags that are specific to a breeder’s own on-farm system.

From the outset, LIT has had a very close relationship with the Zimbabwe Herd Book (ZHB), and since 2003 has managed its data bureau. Mario was appointed the Manager of ZHB in 2008.

Over the years, the Trust has expanded its services to the livestock sector and from 2002, the administration of the Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC) has been managed by LIT.

From humble beginnings, the Council has been strengthened and capacitated to represent a wide range of value chains in the livestock industry. The LMAC is now a well-recognised lobby and advocacy body with a broad base of valuable statistics and analyses of livestock economic data.

In 2024, the Trust is still fronted by Mario. Florence and Godknows each have twenty-four years service and Mildret has been at LIT for eighteen years.  Dave and Craig have had fourteen and seven years of experience respectively, Tich and Collin have had four years and Nyasha is a new-comer. Together, the Team provides a wealth of information that has been assiduously gathered and constructive advice for new and aspiring producers.

Livestock Identification Trust, P O Box BE209, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263-4-756600 / 772915 / 777391    Fax: 774800
E-mail: trace@lit.co.zw