Senate adopts bill on zero grazing system

The minister of agriculture and livestock has told senators that the objective of the bill is to increase agricultural and animal production.

Déo-Guide Rurema: “This bill is proposed to increase livestock production and preserve the environment”

Déo-Guide Rurema, Minister of agriculture and livestock, says permanent stalling allows the cattle to quickly gain weight and this steps up the production and quality of meat and milk. “This bill is proposed to increase animal production and preserve the environment,” he says adding that there is a need to discourage extensive breeding because of overpopulation and the smallness of the land observed nowadays in the country.

He says traditional breeding has to be converted into modern one. “It just requires the preparation of breeders by leading them to invest in the production of fodder for a limited number of animals”.
Mr. Rurema says unproductive animals will be sold to buy those with high production potential. “Unproductive animals will be sold to buy few productive ones.”

He also says storing techniques have been practiced since the 2000s. “Farmers in Ngozi, Muyinga and Kayanza provinces and a good part of the peri-urban farmers are already practicing this type of breeding”.

This provides for a period of 2 years to raise the awareness and enable breeders to be well prepared for this breeding approach.