Labour Market Needs Assessment for the Dairy Industry in ......04 Labour Market Needs Assessment for...

Dairy Value Chain Component of RARP-CSF Program

With Support From

Labour Market NeedsAssessment for the Dairy

Industry in Zimbabwe

List of AcronymsExecutive SummaryBackground to the StudyIntroduction1.1 Background1.2 Objectives of the Assessment1.3 Outline of ReportMethodology2.1 General Approach2.2 Sampling Framework and Respondents2.3 Type of Data Collected2.4 Data Analysis and Presentation2.5 Limitations of the StudyOverview of the Dairy Industry in ZimbabweDemand for Expertise in Dairying4.1 Dairy Producers4.2 Dairy Processors4.3 Input Suppliers4.4 Dairy Extension4.5 Dairy Research4.6 Agricultural and Veterinary Colleges4.7 Non-Governmental Organisations 4.8 Agricultural and Veterinary Universities4.9 Financial Service ProvidersSupply of Expertise to the Dairy Industry5.1 Supply of Dairy Expertise from Agricultural Colleges5.2 Supply of Dairy Expertise from Universities5.3 In-Service TrainingGaps in the Supply and Demand of Dairy Expertise

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6.1 Dairy Producers6.2 Dairy Processors6.3 Input Suppliers6.4 Dairy Research and Extension Organisations6.5 Dairy Education and Farmer Training Institutions6.6 Financial Service Providers6.7 Gender BalanceRecommendations on How to Address the Gaps7.1 Curriculum Review7.2 Staff Exchange Between Colleges, Universities and Industry7.3 Infrastructure Sharing Between Colleges, Universities and Industry7.4 Structured Industrial Attachments7.5 Capacitation of College and University Infrastructure for Practical Training7.6 Training of College and University Lecturers with Up-to-date Materials7.7 Coordination of Training Programmes Offered to Farmers7.8 Establishment of a National Professional Dairy Training Institute in Zimbabwe7.9 Support of Business Incubator Programme7.10 Gender MainstreamingOperationalisation of Priority Recommendations8.1 Action Item 1 8.2 Action Item 28.3 Action Item 3References

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Contents

02 Labour Market Needs Assessment for the Dairy Industry in Zimbabwe

List of Acronyms

ABSAIBUSEDAEFTDDPDR&SSFAOFGDHITHNDHODHRILRIISOLPDMAMIDMCCMScMSUNFTCNGONUFFICNUSTPhDSAZSNVUSAUZZADFZCFUZFAASZIM-AIEDZFUZOU

Animal Breeding ServicesArtificial InseminationBindura University of Science EducationDepartment of Agricultural Education and Farmer TrainingDairy Development ProgrammeDepartment of Research and Specialist ServicesFood and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsFocus Group DiscussionHarare Institute of TechnologyHigher National DiplomaHead of DepartmentHuman ResourcesInternational Livestock Research CentreInternational Organization for Standardization Division of Livestock Production and DevelopmentMinistry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation DevelopmentMilk Collection CentreMaster of ScienceMidlands State UniversityNational Farmer Training CentreNon-Governmental OrganizationThe Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher EducationNational University of Science and TechnologyDoctor of PhilosophyStandards Association of ZimbabweStichting Nederlandse Vrijwilligers (Netherlands Development Organization)United States of AmericaUniversity of ZimbabweZimbabwe Association of Dairy FarmersZimbabwe Commercial Farmers UnionZimbabwe Forum for Agricultural Advisory ServicesZimbabwe Agricultural Income and Employment Development ProgramZimbabwe Farmers UnionZimbabwe Open University

03

Executive Summary

From a peak annual production of 262 million litres in 1990 to its lowest level of 34 million litres in 2009, the dairy industry gradually rose to the current 55 million litres. A general reduction in viability coupled with the impact of the fast track land reform programme saw many large scale commercial dairy farmers going out of production. This has forced the country to import 60% of its requirements for milk and dairy products to meet the national requirement of 180 million litres per year.

As small scale producers contribute only about 2% to the national supply, in future, Zimbabwe would need to rely more on the smallholder farmers to meet the national milk demand. However, for this to happen, the dairy industry would have to improve its human resource and institutional capacity across the whole value chain. It is against this background that SNV commissioned a study on the labour market needs assessment for the dairy industry in Zimbabwe.

Labour Market Needs Assessment for the Dairy Industry in Zimbabwe


The objective of the assessment was to conduct an in-depth sector-wide study to identify the gaps in supply and demand for skills and competences for the dairy sector in Zimbabwe.

The methodology included a desk review of previous studies on the dairy sector in Zimbabwe and elsewhere, evaluation of quantitative and qualitative data, semi-structured key informant interviews with relevant stakeholders and focus group discussions. Demand for Expertise in Dairying

ProducersBoth medium-large scale commercial and small scale producers prefer to employ semi-skilled workers from the farming community, interns from agriculture colleges who get trained on the job while relying on extension services for advice. Thus in both their farms there are deficiencies in knowledge and skills in hygiene, mastitis management, feeds and feeding, practical skills such as artificial insemination, animal handling, and labour relations.

Dairy ProcessorsThe large-scale processors employed graduates from the universities and technical colleges with training in food sciences and laboratory technology. Input SuppliersFor positions in sales, manufacturing, management and advisory service, feed manufacturers, veterinary suppliers and animal breeding service providers employ animal and veterinary science graduates from the universities and agriculture colleges.

Extension and Research ServicesThe government livestock extension and veterinary department employs degree holders as specialists, while the diploma holders as frontline extension staff. When some of the recruits lack in practical application of theory, communication for extension they are given induction training.

At research stations, the general skill deficiencies observed among the graduates are in statistical concepts, analysis and interpretation, practical application of theory, and lack of passion for agriculture.

Agricultural CollegesThe colleges employ animal science and veterinary degree, diploma and certificate holders for different tasks Most of them have the inability to practically apply theory.

Non-Governmental OrganisationsNGOs employ more qualified and experienced staff and consultants and are generally satisfied with the levels of skills on the market.

Agricultural and Veterinary UniversitiesTeaching Assistants are first degree holders while Lecturers are Master of Science degrees and PhDs. There is insufficient resources in the universities and the staff lacks practical skills in dairying.

Financial Service ProvidersMost banks now lend to farmers through contract farming companies or collateral-based loans. Supply of Expertise to the Dairy IndustryThe major highlights emerging from the study concerning the supply of dairy expertise from agricultural colleges and universities were:

(i) None of the institutions offer dairy as a

05Labour Market Needs Assessment for the Dairy Industry in Zimbabwe

specialised programme; (ii) The strength of most training at diploma level is husbandry techniques, with little or no processing included; (iii) The training courses are deficient in practical exposure at degree level; (iv) There is no structured industrial training in dairy (v) There is little or no direct corporate sponsorship for dairy training and support is mainly in through industrial attachments and field visits; (vi) Most institutions do not have appropriate equipment and infrastructure that are ideal for practical dairy training; (vii) Most institution fail to link the courses and expertise invested in students into practical skills and competences. (viii) In-service training varies from one organisation to another and is largely influenced by availability of resources.

Gaps In Supply and Demand Of Dairy ExpertiseThe assessment identified the following general gaps:

(i) The graduates lack hands-on-experience appropriate for the dairy industry; Professional and life skills such as general management, communication and interpersonal skills, entrepreneurship and business skills; (ii) There are specific technical skill deficiencies which include breeding and artificial insemination, feed management, hygiene and herd health management; (iii) Agricultural colleges have achieved gender parity in enrolment, while universities are responding more to low availability of students interested in

agriculture. (iv) In government livestock extension services and research, the gender balance among personnel was 52% and 42% respectively in favour of women, but mostly in the lower grades.

Recommendations on How to Addressthe Gaps in Dairy Expertise

The following possible interventions were recommended to address the mismatch between demand and supply of dairy expertise in Zimbabwe:

(i) Training institutions and value chain actors should jointly conduct curriculum reviews, to include critical aspects such as practical training, communication skills, entrepreneurship, farming as a business and management, among others. (ii) Colleges, universities and industry should engage in staff exchange programmes to broaden the professional perspectives of both parties. Such partnerships would help close the gap by improving the mutual understanding of the needs of industry and training institutions. (iii) Training institutions and industry should share infrastructure and design appropriate and structured industrial attachments for students, as prospective dairy value chain employees. (iv) There should be provision of appropriate equipment in colleges for dairy breeding (artificial insemination), cattle handling facilities, milking parlour infrastructure, dairy equipment, access to appropriate technology and dairy herd building.


Lecturers should be trained and equipped with up-to-date materials through an international linkage and partnership. (v) Coordinate extension and training programmes offered to farmers by agreeing on minimum acceptable standards in content and approaches. This may be done through the recently established Zimbabwe Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (ZFAAS). (vi) There is a need to establish a national professional dairy training institute in Zimbabwe, by equipping one of the existing colleges and collaborating with local value chain actors and international partners.

(vii) An incubator model could be set up with the specific task of training students, providing them with the necessary support, after training, to facilitate set up and run profitable dairy enterprises. Milk collection centres could be included among the candidates for incubator schemes as they need to learn to run their affairs in a business-like manner. (viii) There is need for continued efforts to sensitise value chain actors on the need for gender equality through gender policies, especially among the non-state actors as well confidence building for female MCC committee members.

07

Background of the Study

Labour Market Needs Assessment for the Dairy Industry in Zimbabwe

SNV was engaged by the Danish International Development Organisation (DANIDA) to implement the Rural Agriculture Revitalisation Project - Commercialisation of Smallholder Farmers (RARP CSF), an initiative which seek to facilitate commercialisation of smallholder agriculture with a view to promote improved household incomes, employment and food security.

The project aim was to reach 280,000 smallholder farming households throughout all eight rural provinces in Zimbabwe.

The development objective of the project was to commercialise smallholder farming in the country by re-instating sustainable commercial input and output marketing channels as well as technical and business development services provision.

The RARP CSF was implemented following an integrated value chain development approach that addresses all constraints hindering growth in specific sub sectors.

The project components which include improving small scale farmers’ access to the right and high yielding inputs, development of win-win sustainable contract farming arrangements and provision of effective business development services have been designed to facilitate the revitalisation of the horticulture, oil seeds and dairy sub sectors.

The project’s immediate objectives are:

1. To facilitate access to credit for intermediaries in the agricultural and food value chains.

2. To promote private sector competitiveness through “Matching Grants” that will promote technology upgrades and market development. 3. To promote food security through improved access to inputs and output marketing channels and processing services. 4. To facilitate smallholder farmers participation in formal markets through development of the dairy, oil seeds and horticulture value chains. 5. To consolidate and enhance programme development through studies, pilots and innovation.

This dairy labour market study sought to enable SNV-Zimbabwe to have an in-depth understanding of the dairy value chain dynamics and identify the gaps in supply and demand of critical skills within the dairy value chain. Such an understanding would inform SNV and the key dairy strategic partners in Zimbabwe in exploration of ways to support the development of the dairy subsector to meet the farmer and market needs, enhancing private sector participation and in future programming of dairy interventions.



Introduction 1.0

1.1 Background

Commercial large scale farmers dominated the sub-sector in 1990s and, at its peak, producing 262 million litres of milk per year. However, milk production declined to 34 million litres in 2009 and now is around 55 million litres per annum against a national demand of 180 million litres.

Zimbabwe imports at least 60% of its requirements for milk and milk products, largely from South Africa. Even at its best, the small scale dairy sub-sector contributed only 5% to the national milk supply, while 95% of the supply came from the large scale commercial dairy sector.

However, as a consequence of the fast track land reform, the large scale commercial dairy production declined and in future, Zimbabwe will have to depend on production from the small scale dairy sector. Development of the small scale dairy sub-sector, will lead an increase in income across the dairy value chain, capital growth, and ultimately, improved livelihoods for the smallholder producers.

The Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) is currently involved in two complementary programmes around skills and technology development across the dairy value chain in Zimbabwe.

1.2 Objectives of the AssessmentThe assessment was conducted during the period February-May 2015. It found that there is a mismatch between the demand for skilled personnel by the industry and supply from the major learning and training institutions.

SNV through a commissioned consultancy would like to align the main dairy training institutions’ knowledge and skills training programmes to the dairy market labour needs of the largely private sector driven industry.

This is expected to improve the participation of small scale dairy producers in the formal value chains and, therefore, contribute to foodsecurity and further commercialization through value addition, gender mainstreaming, product quality improvement, and entrepreneurship, extension and business development services.

This would be achieved through the following specific tasks:

(i) Description of the current situation as regards to the skills and competences needed by the dairy industry and what is offered at the various dairy training institutions in Zimbabwe.

(ii) Analysis of the gap between supply and demand and provision of recommendations for system improvements.


(iii) Creation of enhanced awareness and willingness in dairy training or agricultural institutions of the importance of demand driven competence-based education and skills development programs.

(iv) Exploration of the possible roles of the private sector in supporting the training institutions to meet the labour market needs of the dairy sector in Zimbabwe.

(v) Identification of opportunities for establishing a national dairy professional training institute in Zimbabwe.

The study would provide strategies on how the supply side could respond to the demand of the sector, including development of more market-oriented curricula, vocational training and outreach modules, as well as programmes for applied research.

1.3 Outline of Report

The document covers the background to the assessment, objectives of the assessment, methodology, the findings, recommendations on how to address the gap between demand and supply, bibliography and appendices.


2.1 General Approach

Quantitative and qualitative data were used to assess the gaps between demand and supply of skills and competences for the dairy industry. The methodology included a desk review of previous studies on the dairy sector in Zimbabwe and elsewhere, semi-structured key informant interviews with relevant stakeholders and focus group discussions with representative groups of current and past agricultural university and college students.

The sources of secondary information included a review of the SNV-commissioned studies on smallholder dairying in Zimbabwe and Kenya, studies by Land O’ Lakes and the World Bank Livestock Sector Study, among others.

The field data collection phase entailed confirmation of the secondary information obtained from the review of literature.

2.2 Sampling Framework and Respondents

A purposive sample of the different value chain actors. A sample of representatives of all dairy value chain actors on the supply and demand side was stratified by type, size and location.

Primary data on dairy labour demand was

obtained from large and small scale dairy farmers; dairy associations (Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers and smallholder dairy associations); dairy processors; Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development departments; Zimbabwe Dairy Industry Trust (ZDIT); input suppliers (animal feeds, veterinary drugs, AI services); dairy training and research institutions; non-governmental organisations; the financial services sector; and stakeholder consultative and validation workshops.

The information on the supply of qualified dairy labour was obtained from processors; farmer organizations; large and small scale dairy farmers; teaching staff from agricultural colleges and universities; consultants working for NGOs and development agencies; graduates from agricultural colleges (certificate and diploma holders), and state and private universities (University of Zimbabwe, Midlands State University, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Bindura University of Science Education, Lupane State University, Africa University, and Solusi University); and stakeholder consultative and validation workshops (see Appendix 1 for list of stakeholders consulted).

2.3 Type of Data Collected

The information sought from the value chain actors included dairy curricula, level of exposure

Methodology 2.0


to practical dairy training and skills and proficiency levels on specific subject matter areas such as feeds and feeding systems, animal husbandry, animal health, breeding and artificial insemination, farming as a business, among others. 2.4 Data Analysis and Presentation

Quantitative data were analysed and presentedas descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were synthesised through deductive and content analysis to identify major themes related to the specific objectives of the labour market assessment and to support the quantitative data.

2.5 Limitations of the Study

The team did not meet with the planned number of

commercial farmers as some were not willing to participate. Similarly, most banks were unwilling to participate in the study. At the agricultural colleges the team felt that some of the designated staff found it difficult to share what they considered to be sensitive information, despite assurances of confidentiality. It was not possible to get information on the employment status of graduates as the colleges and universities do not have a system of following up their graduates.

The Division of Livestock Production and Development (LPD) provincial officers were either not available or could only meet the team for a short time. Although field officers had more information on the situation on farms than the head and provincial offices, due to logistical difficulties, the team only managed to meet a limited number of field staff.


The fast track land reform programme led to a decline in dairy herd from a peak of 104,483 in 1994 to the current 26,000 herd. Similarly, the number of registered medium-large scale producers declined from 338 at the peak of the industry to the current 223. It also is important to note that long before the land reform, the daily milk yield per cow from an average of 15 litres at peak to about 10 litres per cow per day, largely due to lower productivity from the small scale sub-sector.

The Dairy Development Programme (DDP) set up a total of about 22 small scale dairy projects around milk collection centres (MCCs) in the five provinces of Manicaland, Mashonaland, Masvingo, Midlands, and Matabeleland South. However, presently only 17 MCCs have active producers, with a combined membership of 481 farmers producing pasteurised and fermented milk. (See Table 1)

The dairy industry has a processing capacity of 400 million litres per year, while capacity utilisation stands at 45%. The country has a total of 143, 18 and 50 registered producer wholesalers, retailers and commercial processors, respectively.

The small scale dairy producers who practise mixed farming face a number of challenges, based mainly on viability and/or competitiveness. Across the sector, the main challenges to increased

Overview of the Dairy Industry in Zimbabwe

3.0

Figure 1:Milk productiontrends from2005 to 2014Source:Dairy Services

Project

01. Risitu (Mayfield)

02. Risitu United

03. Tsonzo

04. Marirangwe

05. Sangano

06. Nharira

07. Mushagashe

08. Gokwe

09. Honde Valley

10. Guruve

11. Umzingwane

12. Dowa

13. Chikwakwa

14. Shurugwi

15. Sadza

16. Wedza

17. Kanyongo

TOTAL

105

35

20

28

39

77

8

30

33

16

10

14

29

8

12

12

5

481

Number of FarmersDelivering Milk

Table 1:Small scaleproducersdeliveringmilk to MilkCollectionCentresSource:Dairy Services


production have included low productivity due to poor genetics, poor feeding and management systems, poor husbandry and managerial skills, high costs of feeds such as maize and protein sources, market liberalisation, competition from cheap imports from South Africa, low consumer incomes, changing consumer preferences and long-term downward trend in prices, among others.

Promotion of food safety and quality at each level of the dairy supply chain is based on nationaland international standards. The Dairy Services is

responsible for regulating the industry by registering and licensing dairy farms and processing plants, conducting routine milk tests for quality and safety and inspecting retail outlets. It also requires production of a high-quality information system from relevant technical sectors to be harmonised and integrated. However, due to lack of capacity, it is not possible to fully discharge these functions.

In order to protect the local industry from cheap imports, Government has introduced a levy of ten cents per litre towards a Dairy Resuscitation Fund.


4.1 Dairy Producers

Commercial and small scale dairy producers in Matabeleland South, Bulawayo, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and Midlands provinces were interviewed. Herd sizes among the commercial dairy farmers ranged from 30 to 970 cattle, with average milk production ranging from 100 kg to 4,000 kg per day. Only three of the interviewed commercial farmers were processing on-farm butter, cream and cheese.

The owners and managers of the commercial farms included a veterinary surgeon, an animal science graduate, animal production certificate holder, cheese processing certificate holder and agriculture diploma holder. The majority of commercial farms employed 3 to 10 personnel with no formal training in dairy production and had on job training. 5 farmers engaged students from agricultural colleges on one-year internship. Virtually all the visited farms either offered on-farm training or sent their workers for short courses in:

• Artificial insemination; • Dairy supervision; and • Mastitis detection and management.

Since most are mixed farms, these workers are also responsible for other farm enterprise activities such as horticulture.

However, staff turnover was very low on all farms visited and this was attributed to the farm community set-up.

Most workers were said to regard the farms as their permanent homes and as such tend to stay longer as there is security of accommodation.

Interviewed farmers were willing to assist in training of dairy personnel if there were:

• Day courses; • Providing the farm as a training resources for student visits; and • Training of government extension staff.

Proportion of women in MCCs varied from 22% to 46% mainly because it is usually the household head who is registered as a member of the MCC. The proportions of female members in MCCs committees were maximum up to three out of seven members mostly as secretaries and treasurers.

Small scale farmers depended on government and NGO extension workers and consultants for expertise. The consultants are normally hired by NGOs such as SNV to provide local capacity building services to smallholder farmers and their associations. The low viability of dairy farming in Zimbabwe seems to have created conditions of apparent low demand for qualified labour.

Demand For Expertise In Dairying 4.0


4.2 Dairy Processors

2 large dairy processors as well as seven small processors, including the MCC run by DDP were interviewed. All of them are involved in the production of fresh pasteurised milk, powdered milk and fermented products (cheese, naturally soured milk, cultured milk and yoghurt).

The large scale processors employ graduates from universities and technical colleges with training in food sciences and laboratory technology. According to one processor, the certificate, diploma or degree certificate only indicates that the recruit is trainable though they could lack the practical aspects of food processing and lack exposure to international standards.

Three small scale commercial processors of cheese, dairy-fruit mix and fermented products were interviewed. Some of their employees had attended short courses in cheese making in Zimbabwe (facilitated by the Danish Embassy) and South Africa. For the small scale processors, the main areas of skills deficiency are:

• Poor hygiene practices; • Poor access to markets; and • Generally poor management capabilities.

Some large scale processors are already working with training institutions though their internship programmes and seminar series. There is, however, scope for increased participation of industry in training of dairy personnel by colleges and universities through:

• Assistance with the reviewing of the changing market requirements on an on-going basis; • and Facilitating continuous liaison between

industry and training institutions.

Staff of 5 Milk Collection Centres that were also into processing had attended short courses from Nyarungu Farmer Training Institute. The capacity challenges they cited are in hygiene, general management and access to markets.

The lack of practical skills is similar to that from a study for the dairy sector in Kenya (PKF Consulting, 2013) and an agribusiness human talent study in South Africa (van Rooyen, 2015).

4.3 Input Suppliers

In Zimbabwe, only three feed manufacturing companies supply dairy calf meal, dairy meal and mineral supplements. They employ graduates of animal science. When employing graduates, they consider technical knowledge, interpersonal and marketing skills, ability to interact with farmers and repair of machines. These are, however, deficient in most graduates who are straight out from college but the companies address this by offering induction training on recruitment.

Two veterinary suppliers participated in the study. They supply a wide range of industry-wide veterinary products. The staff who are mostly men in these companies includes veterinarians, animal science graduates. They provide veterinary advice to farmers, sell veterinary products and engagein sales management. But majority of these graduates lack depth in knowledge of veterinary products on the market.

An artificial insemination service provider was also consulted. The staff establishment includes a diploma holder from an agriculture college, two PhD holders in nutrition, a PhD candidate and an


MSc holder with a veterinary qualification. Though the staff was highly educated, they lacked skills in practical application of body condition scoring, diet formulation, estimating and interpretation of parental averages in animal breeding, comprehending breed catalogues and ability to effectively communicate for extension purposes. These input suppliers are interacting with colleges and universities through seminar presentations, assistance during field visits as well as industrial attachments.

4.4 Dairy Extension

Four provincial officers from LPD were interviewed in this study. They are basically responsible for the husbandry part of LPD’s mandate. Staff at headquarter and provinces are specialists with degrees in animal science but need refresher course to provide support to frontline extension staff at district and ward level. As of June 2014, women constituted 51% of the staff establishment of LPD at the frontline extension worker level. 20% of the livestock extension specialists, were women. The Ministryof Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development has a draft gender policy whose aim is to achieve parity between male and female staff. While this may have been achieved at the lower levels, this is not the case at senior level where women are under-represented. This is because senior positions tend to be either at head office, province or district level. Women have been known to turn down those promotions that would take them away from their families.

Taking cognisance of the skills shortages, LPD expressed a willingness to work with agricultural

colleges in improving the training offered to dairy personnel. Identifying the areas for joint training would be a starting point for this cooperation.

4.5 Dairy Research The Department of Research and Specialist Services (DR&SS) employs diploma and certificate holders from the agricultural colleges as research officers, research technicians and workers. Research stations observed that the general skills deficiencies observed among the graduates are:

• Poor in statistical concepts and inference; • Not very good in practical application of theory; and • Lack passion for agriculture and might have taken agriculture out of desperation.

In DR&SS, women make up 42% of researchers and technicians, mostly at low level positions. The department is not currently involved in any direct joint training of dairy personnel and never been consulted by the Department of Agricultural Education and Farmer Training on curriculum development. It is, however, offering internships to students from agricultural colleges and universities.

4.6 Agricultural and Veterinary Colleges

The Department of Agricultural Education and Farmer Training (DAEFT) and college principals is mandated with the administration of all agricultural colleges, Mazowe Veterinary College as well as farmer training. The department employs degree, diploma and certificate holders for different tasks within the college. They mostly do not have the practical application knowledge.


4.7 Non-Governmental Organisations

NGOs and agencies who are either directly or indirectly involved crop and/or livestock production employed staff were qualified in a wide range of subjects, including development studies, business studies, animal science, agricultural economics and crop science obtained from institutions in Zimbabwe, Europe, USA and other African countries.

They also make use of consultants to provide various capacity building services to smallholder farmers and their associations. In general, the NGOs felt that the staff/consultants they had were competent enough to carry out the assigned duties. They all expressed an urgent need for regular consultations with colleges on the ever changing livestock industry and dairy sector.

4.8 Agricultural and Veterinary Universities

Here the level of training of the lecturers included first degree holders (teaching assistants), Master of Science and PhD (lecturers) not specifically in dairy science. The staff establishment of animal science departments/units ranged from as low as 2 for some universities to as high as 30. Universities with very low staff establishments depended on part-time lecturers. These training

programmes offered by these universities are characterised by insufficient resources for dairy practicals.

4.9 Financial Service Providers

The 5 banks in Zimbabwe that are financing agricultural activities: NMB, MBCA (up to 36 months); CBZ, ZB and Stanbic Banks (short-term loans). Only 2 banks, Standard Chartered Bank and MBCA, participated in the assessment. Standard Chartered Bank is directly financing only about 10 of their long serving farmer clients. For other farmers it is servicing through a contract grower scheme. This involves releasing finance to companies such as Dairibord Zimbabwe and Nestle, which would then engage contract dairy farmers who supply their processing plants.

The onus for monitoring the farmers is on the companies. The staff establishment of the agribusiness section in this bank was three, with no special agricultural skills. The bank does not offer internships because it felt that the students from agricultural colleges and universities lacked practical banking skills. MBCA generally offer medium term collateral - based loans of up to 36 months for purchase of new equipment, breeding animals and stock feed.


The major highlights emerging from the study concerning the supply of dairy expertise from agricultural colleges and universities were that:

• Only University of Zimbabwe offer a Masters programme in dairy technology bi-annually with an intake of up to 10 students;

• The strength of most training at diploma level is husbandry techniques, with little or no processing included;

• The training courses are deficient in practical exposure at degree level,

• There is little or no structure in industrial attachment which varies from two months to about 12 months in some institutions,

• There is little or no corporate sponsorship for dairy training; with support mainly in kind (industrial attachments and field visits);

• Most institutions do not have appropriate equipment and infrastructure for the ideal practical dairy training;

• Most institution fail to link the courses and expertise invested in students with practical skills and competences. For example, a student would have done dairy nutrition, dairy health and fodder production in different courses but still fail to make the linkages among these subjects, keeping them in silos.

• In terms of gender balance, agricultural colleges are supplying an equal number of male and female graduates, while universities are yet to achieve gender balance.

5.1 Supply of Dairy Expertise from Agricultural Colleges

Data were collected from seven agricultural colleges located in various provinces of Zimbabwe.

All the colleges offer a three-year diploma programme, except for one that offers a certificate programme and three that also offer a Higher National Diploma (HND). The three years of training include two years of college training and at least 8 months of farm attachment. The number of students that graduated from all the eight colleges in 2014 was 490, with 52% of them being female except colleges such as Gwebi and Chibero. Most of the colleges are focusing on upgrading certificate holders from the “fast track”

Supply of Expertise tothe Dairy Industry

5.0


national certificate programme. Mazowe Veterinary College offers a two-year diploma in animal health and production, with an average enrolment of 240 students per year split into three intakes. Currently, the veterinary college is only training MAMID staff who went through the fast track training programme.

The agricultural college training is designed to be 50% practical and 50% theory (see Table 2 for details of curriculum). Practical skills such as herd health management, ration formulation, fodder planting, rangeland management, silage making, vaccination, animal handling, tick control, dairy farm planning and budgeting are done during afternoon practical sessions and routine farm duties.

The students rated the animal science and dairy training as very relevant for producers at any scale and for development agencies, extension services, and feed and veterinary input suppliers. Students also noted that they had enough practical exposure during practical and farm duties, although they also noted that colleges must buy animals or intensify field visits to dairy farms. The training programmes all had at least eight months of farm attachment period which students rated as very important and key in their training.

There is a need to reform the curriculum to suit the needs of the dairy industry. Colleges are willing to work with the industry and engage various stakeholders in the training programmes to perfect the training and make the graduates more competent on the job market.

Kushinga-Phikelela College offer a certificate, diploma and higher national diploma in commercial agriculture, a nine month youth

training course. This is a departure from the curriculum offered by other colleges. The other colleges offer farmer training programmes on demand during regular diploma student vacation periods.

The Harare Institute of Technology and Harare Polytechnic College are offering courses in food science and quality assurance. However, in common with other programmes, there are gaps in hands-on practical training.

5.2 Supply of Dairy Expertise from Universities

Data were collected from six universities offering animal science training around the country. Most of the universities offered dairy as a compulsory final year course, with at least 60 hours of training. Some colleges had a four-year programme that included at least eight months of industrial attachment for students at dairy farms,

Subject

Anatomy and Physiology

Animal Nutrition

Animal Breeding

Animal Health

Veld and Pasture Management

Management Process & Farm Business

Farm Budgeting

Marketing

Agricultural Project Development

Farm Enterprise Profitability

Risk and Uncertainty Management

40

27

20

27

20

13

27

20

13

14

5

Total ContactLecture Time (hours)

Table 2: Agricultural College Curriculum in Animal Scienceand Dairy Courses


processing factories, and some government departments. One of the universities had a three-year BSc programme with attachment and internship programmes scheduled during semester breaks for at least three months. Only one university out of six offered dairy training as an elective course, while it was compulsory for the rest of the universities. One of the universities (UZ) offered a post graduate degree programme in dairy technology biennially, but with a limited intake of only ten students. The number of animal science graduates from the universities that participated in the assessment varied from as few as 1 to as many as 40 every year (see Table 3).

Dairy production in most of the universities is a full course done in the second semester of the final year. The training at most of the institutions also includes other courses such as animal products processing that cover aspects of milk processing, animal nutrition (dairy nutrition and ration formulation), and practical aspects of dairy production (see Table 4).

The objective of the degree programmes is to produce competent practitioners in animal production and agriculture at large. About 99% of all the enrolled students graduate from the various programmes. The enrolment process tries to achieve gender balance by allocating a quota for

Table 3: University enrolment and graduate output

University Numberof Intakes

AverageNumber ofStudents

Per Intake

AverageEnrolmentPer Year

Universityof Zimbabwe

1 30 30 30

AverageNumber ofGraduatesPer Year

Bindura Universityof Science Education

1 5 5 5

Women’s UniversityIn Africa

4 10 40 35

AfricaUniversity

1 At least 1 At least 1 At least 1

Midlands StateUniversity

2 20 40 38

Chinhoyi Universityof Technology

1 25 25 ---

Lupane StateUniversity

1 15 15 ---

Table 4: University courses relevant to the dairy industry

Subject

Anatomy and Physiology /Principles of Animal Science

Animal Physiology

Animal Nutrition / Nutritional Biochemistry / Feed Analysis

Animal Breeding

Animal Health

Rangeland Management / Forage & Fodder Production

Farm Budgeting / Marketing

Marketing

Extension

Risk and Uncertainty Management

Dairy Production Systems

Dairy Production

Animal Products Processing

Total ContactLecture Time

(Hours)

36 - 72

36 - 72

36 - 72

36 - 72

36 - 72

36 - 72

36 - 72

36 - 72

36 - 72

36 - 72

48

36 - 72

36 - 72

UniversityOfferingCourse

All

All

All

All

All

All

All

BUSE

Lupane,BUSE

---

MSU

All exceptMSU

All


female students and allowing them entry with lower qualifications.

The training programmes do not have any form of financial support from the industry, as students finance their own studies.

The universities received some positive feedback from graduates who also said the curriculum emphasises theory rather than practical application. Most of the universities ensure that when students graduate they have the following basic skills and competencies, some of which are not specific to dairy training:

• Herd health management; • Ration formulation; • Fodder planting; • Rangeland management; • Dairy farm planning and budgeting; • Dairy processing; and • Milk testing.

It was generally observed that students and staff both felt that the courses needed to be more practical. Industry needs to be sensitised to the fact that they have a role to play in training future employees rather than expecting to recruit experienced staff where they would not have made an input.

5.3 In-Service Training

5.3.1 Government Departments

Some government departments (e.g. LPD) have in-service training for all the extension workers who hold certificates in agriculture from discontinued programmes. One department trains on factories and farms to all the new recruits on

the job as a routine induction training. It also implements compulsory proficiency tests every three years and refresher courses periodically. The private sector used to offer on-the-job training and scholarships, e.g. Delta, but this has ceased, due to unfavourable economic environment.

5.3.2 Agricultural Colleges and Universities

Most lecturers at agricultural colleges are holders of first degrees in the relevant areas that they teach. They are encouraged to enrol for Masters programmes and PhD (as a policy) upon completion of the initial two years of government service. 5.3.3 Producers and Processors

Commercial farmers expressed an unwillingness to engage graduates from colleges and universities due to their inability to pay. Some commercial farmers send their semi-skilled staff for short training courses in feeding, hygiene and herd health at colleges such as Gwebi, Esigodini and Kushinga Pikhelela and research stations. Private companies are also engaged in training staff in artificial insemination but some farmers do their own staff training.

Small scale farmers under the DDP programme are trained by institutions on farm business management (dairying as a business, business planning, farm budgeting, record keeping and financial management), livestock management (milk parlour development, animal husbandry, animal breeding and use of AI, heat detection, calf rearing, and calf management), fodder production and feeding, herd health, milk hygiene, and MCC administration and management (milk hygiene, milk quality, record keeping, accountability at MCC


level, governance and financial management).

5.3.4 Financial services

Banks rely on the contractors they financed to engage farmers in cont rac t da i ry farming schemes. The position taken by banks is a reflection of the perceived risk in agriculture in general. With the land reform and involvement of the new farmers with limited experience, banks now offer short-term lending, which is unsuitable for livestock production systems. Even in cases where funding may be made available, the interest rates are too high to be covered by the profit margins prevailing in dairying and agriculture in general. The use of private contract farming firms is one way of managing the risk.


The study has identified the following general gaps:

(i) Graduates from colleges and universities lack hands-on-experience appropriate for the dairy industry;

(ii) There are specific technical skills deficiencies which are critical for the dairy industry, for example, breeding and artificial insemination, feed management, hygiene and herd health management and general lagging behind in technological advances;

(iii) In general, there is an apparent oversupply of inexperienced graduates when one considers the employment opportunities.

(iv) Agricultural colleges have achieved gender parity in enrolment, while universities are responding more to market forces. Admission policies of universities are not necessarily informed by gender policies which favour affirmative action for female students.

Government extension services and livestock research division have achieved gender parity in staffing, at the lower levels.

In the following sections, the specific gaps in expertise for the different components of the dairy value chain are discussed.

6.1 Dairy Producers

There is an apparent lack of demand for qualified dairy personnel and farmers prefer to hire farm-trained labour, largely due to the low viability of the dairy industry. Also the graduates do not offer services that are value for money as they lack practical experience. Small scale producers either do the work themselves or employ family labour. They depend on extension on government departments, NGOs and, to a limited extent, private sector input suppliers.

Similarly, the main shortcomings of government extension workers is the lack of practical skills in both animal husbandry and farming as a business to adequately advise farmers.

6.2 Dairy Processors

Large dairy processors hire personnel with degrees and diplomas and provide on-the-job training.

Small scale commercial processors and MCCs tend to employ semi-skilled workers with experience. The main gaps in their personnel were poor hygiene practice, poor access to markets and management.

Gaps in the Supply and Demandof Dairy Expertise

6.0


6.3 Input Suppliers

Input suppliers train their employees in technical and product knowledge, practical application, interpersonal and marketing skills.

6.4 Dairy Research and Extension Organisations

For researchers, the main gap is in statistical concepts and analysis, practical application of theory and poor motivation. Government extension services also lack practical application of theory, communication skills for extension and farming as a business skills. Some of these shortcomings are addressed through induction training and upgrading of fast track certificate holders to diploma level using block release modules. NGOs and development agencies with better salaries attract experienced and competent staff and consultants.

6.5 Dairy Education and Farmer Training Institutions

Agricultural education and farmer training colleges hire staff with certificates, diplomas and degrees in general animal science qualifications, depending on the job description. The staff here

too lack practical application, entrepreneurship skills. In general, most training institutions have not kept abreast of technological advances.

6.6 Financial Service Providers

Banks do not see the need to employ personnel with agricultural and dairy expertise as they provide financial services indirectly through contract farming companies.

6.7 Gender Balance

Despite implementation of affirmative action in enrolments at universities, more female students prefer to register for humanities degrees. Similarly, women are under-represented in MCC committees, in some cases refuse to be nominated for higher positions.


A number of recommendations below have been put forward to address the gaps in the supply and demand of dairy personnel.

7.1 Curriculum Review

Periodic review and enhancement of curricula in dairy training institutions is vital for maintaining the currency and quality of training programmes. It is recommended that the dairy value chain actors, including farmers, work with the training institutions to reform the curriculum in order to meet the sector’s expectations. At the same time, training institutions should ensure that the curriculum responds to the latest global developments to ensure competitiveness.

The curriculum should also include other critical subjects such as practical training, communication skills, entrepreneurship, farming as a business, use of ICT and management, among others.

7.2 Staff Exchange Between Colleges, Universities and Industry

University and college staff may spend some time working in industry to gain practical exposure while technical staff from industry may join faculty as adjunct lecturers. Such partnerships would provide practical linkages between the supplyand demand s ides of labour, and broaden the professional perspectives of both parties

through job-shadowing experiences at participating host institutions.

7.3 Infrastructure Sharing Between Colleges, Universities and Industry Infrastructure sharing is a viable option to share resources among colleges. Industry can also take part in this by allowing field visits and practical sessions to be conducted in real world environments at their premises. Field visits for dairy students have significant potential benefits to broaden their understanding of the industry and experience the practical application of theories learnt in class. For an industrial organisation, it is an opportunity to sell itself as a potential career destination to the students.

7.4 Structured Industrial Attachments

Training institutions need to collaborate with industry in designing appropriate and structured industrial attachments for students, as prospective dairy value chain employees. Once a company or farmer accepts a student for attachment, the training institution should get together with the organisation to craft a learning programme that would expose the student to everything they need to accomplish the specific learning objectives. This way the company can part ic ipate in assessing and cert i fy ing the accomplishment of the objectives by the student.

Recommendations on Howto Address the Gaps

7.0


7.5 Capacitation of College and University Infrastructure for Practical Training

Capacitation of college and university infra structure should be viewed within the broader context of ensuring and serving dairy industry value chain stakeholders. Taking cognisance of the levels of stakeholders that will benefit from this infrastructural rehabilitation and installation, the process of capacitation should, therefore, be a shared activity through private-public sector partnerships.

The starting point could be the establishment of a stakeholder platform to drive this process. It may not be feasible to capacitate all the colleges and universities at the same time, but colleges may share infrastructure in the meantime (see 3.5.3).

7.6 Training of College and University Lecturers with Up-to-date Materials

Despite the fact that the dairy industry is a fast evolving sector, with new equipment and technologies, college and university lecturers in Zimbabwe have been relying on out-dated information for dairy training. It may thus be necessary to engage international providers of such trainings through partnership with other countries and their institutions, for example, the Netherlands Government and NUFFIC.

The partnership would focus on provision of specialised dairy training. These could be achieved through international collaborations representing both agricultural colleges and universities rather than through individual colleges.

7.7 Coordination of Training Programmes Offered to Farmers There is a need to coordinate the different aspects of dairy training of different actors by agreeing on minimum acceptable standards in content and approaches. Zimbabwe recently launched the Zimbabwe Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (ZFAAS which is a national chapter of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS). Its work is to coordinate and develop guidelines for extension materials in different fields.

7.8 Establishment of a National Professional Dairy Training Institute in Zimbabwe

It was proposed to capacitate and equip an existing institute that would provide specialised intensive dairy training, with emphasis on practical training and other areas not covered by the current curricula.

The institute could be operationalized though a private-public sector partnership, with farmers, industry and other value chain actors participating in governance, curriculum development and review for continued relevance and accountability.

7.9 Support Of Business Incubator Programme

An incubator model similar to Kushinga Phikelela College could be set up to train MCC students, provide them with the necessary support after training, for a fixed term, to facilitate them to set up and run profitable dairy enterprises, and then wean them off.


7.10 Gender Mainstreaming

There is need for continued efforts to sensitise value chain actors for gender equality in enrolment and the work place. This needs to be supported by gender policies, especially among the non-state actors. Although the agricultural

colleges have made strides in achieving gender parity in the student body, there are colleges that are limited by lack of suitable accommodation for female students. MCCs committees also need support to enable more women to assume decision making positions and not just the traditional secretaries and treasurers.


At the validation workshop for this assessment, stakeholders agreed on the following priority recommendations:

(i) Curriculum review for colleges and universities; (ii) Establishment of a national professional dairy training institute in Zimbabwe; and (iii) Support for a dairy incubator programme for agricultural graduates and milk collection centres.

8.1 Action Item 1: Curriculum Review in Colleges and Universities

There was a need to harmonise curriculum across universities to ensure quality control. In this respect, it was proposed that ZDIT, as the convener, would operationalize the process in consultation with ZIMCHE and other stakeholders. SNV could support these processes by providing facilitation as well as other necessary support where required.

Stakeholders proposed that a committee be set up to curriculum review and other initiatives by developing a concept note. The concept note will be submitted to ZDIT through Mrs Marecha who sits on the Board of the Trust.

The committee is made up of the following:

• Mrs. T.C. Marecha Dairy Services

• Mr. M. Nyamangara MAMID – Department of Agricultural Education and Farmer Training

• Mr. B. Masunda Department of Animal Science, University of Zimbabwe

• Dr R. Nyoka FINTRAC

• Mr. J. Rusirevi SNV

8.2 Action Item 2: Establishment of a National Professional Dairy Institute in Zimbabwe

The proposals for the establishment of a national dairy institute are to consider the following:

• The possibility of reducing enrolments for the traditional diploma programme at one of the

Operationalisation of Priority Recommendations

8.0


colleges so as to create accommodation space for the proposed dairy science diploma and related short-term courses. This should be included in the concept note.

• To expedite the process of adopting a college for the project, it was suggested that the committee, through ZDIT, submit the proposal to the Permanent Secretary of MAMID on the proposal of setting up the dairy institute.

8.3 Action Item 3: Business Incubator Programme

The committee will work with ZDIT and other

relevant value chain actors to set up a dairy business incubator scheme for MCC centres and dairy graduates to model for income generating businesses besides milk collection, processing and marketing.

The facility would address the issue of employment among graduates. It could also work with other youth development programmes being promoted by the Ministry of Youth and Employment Creation.

These youth could be assisted to run the centres along business lines as well as to set up rural business hubs including provision of veterinary and stock feed supplies and brokering of services through private sector actors, among others.


References


Desha, Cheryl. Higher education and sustainable development: A model for curriculum renewal. Routledge, 2013.

Institut de l’Elevage and CA17 International 2013. Livestock sector analysis and development of an investment framework for Smallholder Livestock Production in Zimbabwe. Volume I – Facts and Analysis. Final Report. World Bank, Zimbabwe.

Nyamapfene, Abel. "Towards a framework for successful learning outcomes in industrial visits." EE 2012- International Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in Engineering Education, Conference Proceedings. 2012.

PKF Consulting 2013. Labour Market Needs Assessment within the Kenyan Dairy Sector. Final Report.

SNV Dairy Forage/Fodder Pilot Intervention Programme (Zimbabwe). Final Project Report.

SNV 2012. Evaluation of Smallholder Dairy Programmes in Zimbabwe. Final Report.

Van Rooyen Johan 2015. Human Capital, Skills & Talent Development: Views from the agribusiness industry. Paper presented at the RUFORUM Meeting, Stellenbosch, South Africa, and 14 April, 2015.

Williams, Fred D. "Summer Internship: A Retrospective View." Journal of Dairy Science 66.8 (1983): 1801-1802.

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