An Insight into Current and Future Production of Forage Crops in Zimbabwe

Abstract

In Zimbabwe, most livestock are reared by smallholder farmers who live in marginal areas with low rainfall and hence poor forage production. As a consequence, livestock productivity is low and intermitent droughts result in animal mortalities. Forage crops have been widely promoted to provide feed resources to livestock, particularly during the dry season and in years of low precipitation. However, production of forage crops among the smallholder farmers remains low, especially in areas that receive low rainfall (<600 mm per annum). This chapter reviewed work on the production and promotion of forage crops in Zimbabwe in the past 50 years. The production and adaptation of diferent forage crops viz. improved grasses, herbaceous, and tree legumes to low and high (>800 mm per annum) rainfall areas is highlighted. Planting of improved grasses and herbaceous legumes in fallows and tree legumes as hedges and on contours hold the best promise in terms of improving the availability of forage crops for livestock feeding. Shortage of moisture remains the greatest constraint to increasing the area planted to forage crops. Therefore, the development of irrigation facilities needs to be encouraged to allow for the growing of forage crops.