The Livestock Production Systems-Zimbabwe (LIPS - Zim), a four –year (January 2020 to December 2023) project funded by the European Union (EU), focuses on increasing agricultural productivity in Zimbabwe's semi-arid agro-regions ecological regions IV and V The project aims at increased adoption of climate-relevant innovations in livestock-based production systems and improved surveillance and effective control of livestock diseases.

LIPS - Zim is working in 10 districts in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland South Province (Beitbridge and Gwanda districts), the parched Matabeleland North Province (Binga, Hwange and Nkayi districts), Midlands (Gokwe North district), Masvingo (Chiredzi and Zaka districts), Manicaland (Buhera district) and Mashonaland East (Mutoko district).

International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is partnering with, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (Cirad) and University of Zimbabwe (UZ).   

The project will research on the technologies and models that can help to increase the adoption of business and climate smart feeding practices, adaptive breeds, and animal management practices (such as feed stocking rates) and indigenous knowledge systems that impact on livestock production combined with research on the epidemiology of diseases and efficient ways of controlling them. The impact will improve the efficiencies of livestock production systems, reduce environmental footprint, benefit the people living in the expanding natural regions IV and V and support agricultural research systems by enhancing capacities of institutions.  

The project's main objectives are to:

• Increase the adoption of climate relevant innovations (eg feeding) in livestock-based production systems.
• Improve the surveillance and control of livestock diseases.
• Strengthen policy support for feed and drilling value-chains and sustainable active participation of local communities in disease surveillance and early response

LIPS-Zim will be implemented through a partnership with RP-PCP and will involve PhD and MSc fellowships mainly to Zimbabwean nationals with strong support for staff in the agriculture research institutes and national research systems. A number of interns from the country's relevant programs are planned for in this work. Eighty universities and other research entities in the country will be participating in this work. Several situation analyzes will be done to better understand farmers' behavior and attitudes towards livestock production systems in the project's operational areas. Scientific coordination will be done by RP-PCP. The university of Zimbabwe (UZ), NUST, CUT, and LSU will be involved in the project as well. Also see https://www.ilri.org/research/projects/livestock-production-systems-zimbabwe-lips-zim

In Zimbabwe, the livestock sub-sector is one of the most important arms of the agricultural sector. Livestock is particularly important in the country where it contributes to the livelihood of 70% of the Zimbabwe's rural population. Sustainable livestock production depends on the maintenance of healthy and productive animals which requires paying particular attention to the problems of both endemic and introduced animal diseases and zoonotic.

The livestock sub-sector is also threatened by increasing prevalence of animal diseases and needs stronger veterinary systems to better control those diseases and estimate the risks.

Livestock provides income and employment to farmers, agricultural service providers and others involved in the value chain. Zimbabwe`s livestock production system is characterized by small-scale subsistence farming. Despite the importance of livestock to rural livelihoods, productivity remains pitifully low. This is as a result of farmer behavior, feed unavailability and cost, poor quality of animals, livestock diseases, and frequent droughts. 

Climate relevant livestock production practices such as fodder management and conservation, water harvesting and manure management have been identified as solutions to increasing livestock productivity. But, the adoption rate remains low due to lack of understanding of problems faced by farmers, inadequate support services for farmers and a poor enabling environment.

However, animal health management, improved breeds and improved feed are key to reducing vulnerability and enhance resilience among the livestock sector in Zimbabwe. Tick-borne diseases are causing high cattle mortalities owing to lack of repairs to communally owned dip tanks and lack of regular supply of acaricide. Other vector diseases are also affecting livestock. There is lack of efficient control and monitoring of animal diseases. In addition, there is lack of adequate veterinary service delivery (disease surveillance and vaccination coverage)

LIPS-Zim therefore will conduct research on the technologies and models that can help increase the adoption of business and climate smart feeding practices, adaptive breeds and animal management practices (stocking rates) that impact negatively on livestock production while taking into account indigenous knowledge systems. It will combine this with research on the epidemiology of diseases and the most efficient ways of controlling them.