10 Nov 2025

With government determined to increase national food production, grow the national livestock herd and improve animal genetics and reproduction, acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, has urged all farmers to contribute to the ‘A Ditsale’ programme.

Speaking to pig farmers during a workshop organised by Nutri Feeds in Pilane recently, Dr Dikoloti said ‘A Ditsale’ was intended to improve animal production in its entirety, adding that pig farmers should also have a stake in the initiative.

“Government is committed to supporting the growth of the pig industry through enabling policies, research, partnerships and extension support. These measures are necessary for building an export-oriented livestock sector,” Dr Dikoloti said. 

In that regard, he encouraged youth and women to take advantage of the opportunities in the pig value chain as a means of generating income and creating jobs.

Furthermore, he said the workshop theme: Enhancing Food Security Through Sustainable Pig Farming, resonated well with the national goal of reducing imported food and working toward food sovereignty.

The minister emphasised that modern production systems, efficient feed utilisation, improved breeding practices and resilient biosecurity measures were essential to ensure consistent and safe pork supply.

He also challenged farmers to remain alert to the challenges that could impede the sustainability of expanding production, which included shortage of breeding stock, animal diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease that affected the importation of live pigs, high feed costs and supply chain vulnerabilities.

To address some of the challenges, he said the ministry was working towards the adoption of pig artificial insemination (AI), which provided numerous advantages for genetic and herd health management. 

“Through artificial insemination, farmers would benefit from enhanced fertility rates, faster genetic progress, improved carcass quality and the achievement of a strong and competitive pig herd,” he said.

For their part, farmers implored participants to join and form regional associations in order to bargain with one voice.

They also called for more capacity-building workshops focused on pig farming and requested that the ministry supported farmers by buying high-quality semen for artificial insemination, similar to how the government supported the cattle industry and others.

Meanwhile, veterinary specialist, Dr Mbatshi Mazwiduma, told farmers about profitable pig farming, which he said was vital for farmers to adhere to primary health standards, particularly during the early weeks when piglets’ immune systems were most susceptible to diseases

Dr Mazwiduma noted that most farmers were losing their pigs due to the mismanagement of weaning, which was the process of withdrawing young offspring from milk to an adult diet. 

He also encouraged farmers to follow animal health rules by controlling access to the farm and availing footbaths and sanitisers at entry points.

Again, he advised farmers not to miss the elementary principles of ensuring that piglets received colostrum and iron and he stressed the importance of cleanliness in pig houses. ENDS