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Zimbabwe’s Tuli cattle make financial sense and are easy to farm
As the date of Zimbabwe’s first-ever combined indigenous cattle breeds sale draws closer (Africa Day, Saturday May 25, ADMA Agrishow, ART Farm), we continue our exploration of Zimbabwe’s remarkable Sanga cattle breeds. Here, we shine a spotlight on the Tuli. The Tuli is a breed as robust as its homeland. Developed in the harsh yet…
A brief recent history of the indigenous Nkone cattle of Zimbabwe
Article contributed by George Hulme, March 2023. The history of the people is the history of their cattle The disturbances in Zululand and environs; the “Mfecane” that drove away many Zulu tribes from King Chaka’s Zululand, affected a large sector of the Nguni Zulu, known as the Ndebele, under their leader Mzilikazi Khumalo. Mzilikazi had…
Energy efficient tobacco curing barn launched at Kutsaga
Research into a cleaner, sustainable alternative tobacco curing fuel for Zimbabwe’s gold leaf is showing promising results with the commissioning of a gas curing barn. Kutsaga Research Station, in partnership with the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) and private players Gas Cure, officially commissioned the gas curing barn in late March. The trials are…
Curbing deforestation to preserve our indigenous trees
Zimbabwe has a long and proud history of exporting tobacco and as nearly all of the national crop is exported annually, it remains a key contributor to our GDP. It is the flagship of our agricultural sector. It remains a significant contributor to the economy both in terms of generating export income and also for…
A nationwide State of Disaster has been declared by the President of Zimbabwe
A nationwide State of Disaster has been declared by the President of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, ED Mnangagwa, following the climate change-induced drought. Speaking on Wednesday April 3, 2024, the President invoked Section 27, Subsection 1 of the Civil Protection Act (chapter 10:6), which provides that: “if any time it appears to the President that any…
Kutsaga Welcomes New Executive Director of Production and Operations
Harare, Zimbabwe – The Tobacco Research Board (TRB), known to many by its trade name Kutsaga, is proud to announce a significant milestone in its leadership team with the appointment of Mrs. Rhoda Mavuka as the first Executive Director of Production and Operations, effective from the 2nd of April, 2024. As an authoritative voice within Zimbabwe’s…
Important considerations when making quality silage
By General Beven Mundida (Livestock consultant) Contact +263 776 420 161 Fast fact: Making silage requires a lot of labour and attention, but if it is tackled with care, a short period of hard work can prove to be worthwhile all year long. Following on from cattle management advice shared by Obert Chinhamo of Biano…
Surviving lean times: The importance of making on-farm feed
As Zimbabwe heads into the dry winter months following an El Niño-influenced summer rainy season, ensuring the survival and well-being of your beef cattle must be paramount. One essential strategy for mitigating the impact of drought on your livestock is preparing and storing food ahead of time of need. “Farmers need to be ready for…
Enhancing Farm Productivity with Crop Maps
Proper resource management is a diamond in the crown of today’s agriculture. It is what helps to support the balance between productivity increase and environmental sustainability. At the heart of this practice are innovative tools that have transformed the way farmers interact with the land. One such tool is a crop map. Throughout farming history,…
Tobacco sales begin amid high hopes
The 2024 tobacco sales and marketing season has kicked off. Officially opening the event on Wednesday, March 13, was the Vice President of Zimbabwe, Hon. Gen (rtd) Dr CGDN Chiwenga. The event, held at the Tobacco Sales Floor in Willowvale, is traditionally a moment of great joy and excitement as we witness the culmination of…