Livestock

Livestock contributes about 20% to GDP. Farmers keep an average of 12 head of cattle per family. However during the past 10 years, there has been a huge influx of agro-pastoralists from Tabora, Shinyanga, and Mwanza to the region in search of pasture for their livestock. These pastoralists keep an average of 100 to 300 head of cattle per family. The current total cattle population in the region is estimated to be 512,722. The areas suitable for grazing in each district are shown in Table 4

Table 4 – Area available for grazing activities in each district

The area suitable for grazing if well developed can hold 727,093 cattle equivalent to 508,965 Tropical Livestock Units (TLUs). The livestock population in Rukwa region by type of livestock and by district is shown in Table 5 below while the earnings received by livestock keepers during the last three years is shown in Table 6

Table 5 - Livestock in Rukwa Region (2006)

Table 6 - Earnings in TShs from Different Livestock products (2004-2006)

There are three ranches in the region – Malonje ranch located in Sumbawanga Municipal and owned by DAFCO, Nkundi ranch located in Nkasi District and owned by SAAFI, and Nkalambo ranch located in Nkasi district and partly owned by NARCO and partly by individuals.

According to 2002/2003 sample census Rukwa has only 1,103 improved dairy animals which is 0.27% of 399,025 dairy animals in the country. On the other hand there are 274 improved beef animals; about 1.3% of the total 20,881 found in the country. Of the total poultry reared in the country, Rukwa has 3.3%; goats and sheep are 2.5% and 0.9% respectively. In the production of pigs, Rukwa ranks sixth rearing 5.2% of all the pigs reared in the country.

As demand for heifers both for dairy and beef is high, private investors are encouraged to give hand in this area. The move to privatize small ranches to individuals or groups who are capable of running them commercially, will be a challenge for others to establish more in their areas, and this will very much depend on the success of those who have been given the ranches. One of the most important activities that can be undertaken to accelerate the production of beef and dairy animals is the production of heifers that can be sold to small farmers.

Other livestock keeping methods such as ‘zero-grazing' and ‘feedlot' are not practiced and should be encouraged.

Markets for Livestock Products

The market for the livestock products is mainly the urban centres of the region and Kasesya on the Zambian border. In the past about 80 cattle was slaughtered on the market day at Kasesya and meat sold to Zambia . Business men buy hides and sell the same to factories in Morogoro and Dar es Salaam .

A modern meat processing factory named\ Sumbawanga Agricultural and Animal Feeds Industry (SAAFI) is under construction in Sumbawanga town. It is expected to be operational by end of May 2007. When fully operational, it will have a capacity of slaughtering 150 animals per day producing ‘prime cuts', carcasses and sausages. It will provide employment to about 350 people (300 at the factory and 50 peole at the ranch owned by the factory). The markets for the factory's products include cities of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar , the tourist hotels in Bagamoyo, the countries bordering the region ( Zambia and DRC), Burundi , Rwanda , Commoro and the Gulf countries.

Investment in small, medium,and large processing industries will increase the value of livestock products thus ensuring farmers with high prices for their animals. If milk and meat are processed, they can be preserved for long periods while waiting for a good market in or outside the region/country. Studies have shown that the demand for livestock products will increase extensively in the coming 10 to 15 years due to the increase in urbanisation.

Good markets are necessary to encourage livestock keepers sell their animals hence high off- take to avoid land degradation.