Artificial Insemination, The Way To Go

Manicaland Correspondent

With the increasing capacity building, training in the education sector, the scientific process of cross breeding and pollination known as the artificial insemination has taken a center stage in helping farmers grow their herds in less time and producing a breed of choice.

Scientists in Universities and Agricultural hubs have resorted to go along with the artificial insemination (AL) drive on various species mainly found in the agriculture sector, where they are being hired in Zimbabwe to perform the process at a low cost.

One such example is Mount Selinda High school in Chipinge, Manicaland which has decided to start a dairy farming project at the school to help with milk, funds and also educating students in their agricultural studies and had their first calf inseminated through the support by on farmer, Barry, who offered his bull for insemination.

The School Development Committee Chairperson, Ashirai Mawere confirmed this development after having an engagement with the constituency legislator and the deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, Raymore Machingura at Chinhoyi University of Technology.

“The birth of the calf was a culmination of engagement with several people in an attempt to boost food security” said Mawere.

Animal Science expert, Brighton Bvurere said the AL process is a cheaper method which must be used especially now when most farmers lost their cattle to January disease.

“Use of an insemination guns cheap, reduces the risk of spreading animal disease and gives one a choice to his desirable breed” said Bvurere.

Institutions and farmers are taking up this to motion and a clarion call is made to alleviate hunger, boost food production by any affordable means necessary thus reducing the pressure to parents and guardians on school supplements for their children; though some parents remain disgruntled as the said projects may not see the light of the day.

“Many institutions have various projects which are wholly done through the full support of us parents and children working at those project centers but we don’t benefit anything or the poor in the community only school authorities and development committees will benefit and in most cases our children will have left the school” she said