Analysis of Smallholder Farmers Contributions to the Beef Value Chain in Two Zimbabwean Localities (Gokwe South and Mount Darwin)

ABSTRACT Zimbabwe has been undergoing a shift, aided by land agricultural reforms and changes in land ownership. As a result, smallholder farmers now dominate the beef value chain. A survey was carried out to analyze smallholder farmers' contributions to the beef value chain in two Zimbabwean areas, Gokwe South and Mount Darwin districts. A multi-stage sampling approach was used to randomly select (n=100) households as respondents. Data was imported and analyzed using SPSS. Chi-square (χ2) was used to determine the relationship between relevant variables. Results showed that men controlled the beef industry with 69% males against 31% females. The most common ailment was tickborne disease, accounting for 84% of cases in both districts. 95% of respondents relied on their own knowledge to identify diseases. All the farmers relied entirely on natural grazing. About 82% depend on personal savings to fund beef activities, while 69% were unable to obtain loans due to a lack of collateral. There was no significant (p > 0.05) relationship the variables considered. Despite the constraints (in disease identification, limited use of other feed alternatives, and personal funds to finance the sector), farmers are encouraged to get more involved in rangeland management and explore new opportunities to get financial access. Keywords: Feeding systems; Natural grazing; Disease identification; Personal savings; Smallholder farmers