Livestock Identification Trust

The aim of the Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC) is to protect, promote and further the interests of those persons engaged in the livestock and meat industry in Zimbabwe and ensure the economic viability of the sector.

LMAC’s scope of work involves identifying key constraints affecting the growth of the industry, deliberation and discussion on a wide range of issues of concern to the industry as well as passing recommendations on a regular basis to the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development on industry concerns and covering meat, dairy, hides, feeds and feedstuff and import and export applications.

Some of the lobbying and advocacy issues that the Council has been working on and endeavours to address include:

• Establishment of consumer meat and dairy consumption patterns and markets in Zimbabwe;

• Recommendation of strategies and instruments to reduce and mitigate livestock and meat product insecurity at national and household levels;

• Collection of livestock and meat industry statistics and returns;

• Coordination and establishment of standards criteria and draw up quality assurance schemes for livestock, dairy and meat products for the various Associations;

• Curbing of illegal importation of meat imports (chicken pieces, pork bones, offal) and dumping;

• Lobbying for the establishment of a multi-ministerial health port health authority to bolster meat and livestock products movement checks across the borders;

• Regulatory review;

• Assessment of the impact of high Rural District Council levies charged to cattle producers;

• Imposition of duty on wheat flour to encourage importation of wheat for processing into wheat flour and bran;

• Assessment and impacts of the importation of Botswana beef cattle on the local meat industry.