Stakeholders want beef industry revived

By Chimwemwe Mangazi:

Poor market access, weak National Livestock Disease Control Strategy and lack of access to finance have been described as some of the major challenges stifling the growth of the beef industry in the country.

This came out during a regional meeting for the beef value chain for the Central and Northern regions in Kasungu District on Thursday, organised by the Africa Institute for Corporate Citizenship (AICC).

It follows the establishment of the Malawi Round Table for Sustainable Beef (MRSB) Platform early this year as a multi-stakeholder initiative, envisioned with the sustainable production of quality beef that meets the domestic and international demand.

Other challenges facing the industry are low production and productivity due to poor livestock health and poor husbandry practices, lack of digitalised national identification and traceability programmes, inadequate livestock extension services, cattle rustling, weak enforcement of existing laws on rangeland management, disease control, stock movement, beef processing and marketing.

AICC Finance and Administration Manager, Henry Chiwalo, said the situation is not as it ought to be because many of the farmers rearing cattle are practising subsistence farming other than for commercial purposes.