Our programme focuses on the commercialisation of local goat, cattle and chicken herds. By turning these herds into profitable ventures, we have enhanced the economic stability and growth of rural communities. Our efforts ensure that farmers receive the support they need to scale their operations and reach new markets.
Key to the programme is piloting innovative methods to grow herd numbers using clever local ideas, such as using milled acacia thorn scrub as hay, training local community paravets and equipping them with medicines, fridges and skills. Their interventions include a veterinary & livestock farming guide in Zulu, complete with pictures of diseases, advice and remedies which even a semi-literate tribal lady can understand.
Once the animals become more productive, we formalise the market through regular sales such as auctions or monthly pension point sales. Local rural auctions of indigenous goats, a new concept in South Africa, provide a public sales platform, surpassing the traditional informal kraal-to-kraal transactions. These auctions also help set market prices and change perceptions about goats and sales systems.
At a goat auction, farmers bring their goats to GAP staff for registration. The auctioneer then aims for the best prices, selling to speculators or breeders. In the last two months of 2017, breeders generated R7 million in sales, plus another R24 million from home-slaughtered goats.
The Mdukatshani Abafuyi operates in 5 districts and in these districts 18 967 goats were sold earning households R 28 450 000 in 2020, in 2022 these 5 districts sold 25 000 goats earning these mainly women rural livestock farmers “abafuyi” R 37 500 000. This is over and above another 29 000 goats traded locally or used in traditional ceremonies home consumption etc.
These figures are expected to double or quadruple in the coming years. In similar regions across KwaZulu-Natal, annual goat sales and consumption could reach R300 million, significantly impacting rural economies and, potentially, the nation if expanded rapidly in arid rural districts.
Our journey began with the Goat Agricultural Programme (GAP), a collaborative public-private venture initiated by Heifer Project South Africa (HPSA), MRDP, and two government bodies: the National Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, and the KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Together, we engage with nearly 21,000 farmers annually. Currently, our active network includes 5,000 dedicated goat breeders across just five districts.
The programme improves livestock productivity of small farmers through innovative interventions which:
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.