TECHNOLOGICAL innovation and private sector investment, among other key factors, are crucial towards boosting livestock productivity as well as contributing to the country’s economic growth, a senior government official has said.
Addressing stakeholders this week during the Zimbabwe Genomics Pilot Insight Session organised by Kraal-Gen Analytics, Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary Obert Jiri said investing in technological innovation was crucial towards boosting Zimbabwe’s livestock base.
Livestock genomics is the use of an animal’s genotype (DNA) to predict its future genetic potential for traits of economic importance before those traits are fully expressed.
Kraal-Gen Analytics, a Zimbabwean agricultural technology firm, is piloting the groundbreaking innovation.
“The journey towards a more productive, resilient and competitive livestock industry requires that we embrace knowledge, invest in innovation and ensure that farmers have access to the information needed to make better decisions,” Jiri said.
Technological advancement, coupled with robust data-driven systems, Jiri added, is a critical factor required to drive livestock growth in the country.
He added that collaboration between the private sector and the government was key in driving livestock growth in Zimbabwe.
“The Zimbabwe Genomic Pilot Insights Session represents an important conversation about the future of livestock production. It reminds us that innovation is most valuable when it addresses real challenges faced by producers and contributes to national development objectives,” he added.
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He added that with the emergence of new sophisticated technological systems in agriculture, stakeholders needed to forge collaborations.
Said Jiri:
“As agriculture becomes increasingly data-driven, our education and training institutions must continue preparing graduates with skills in areas such as animal science, genetics, bioinformatics, data analytics and digital agriculture.
“The collaboration between innovators, researchers and producers creates an important pathway for translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions.”
Speaking during the same event, US Ambassador Pamela Tremont commended Kraal -Gen Analytics for its technological innovation that has the potential to address challenges faced by cattle breeders.
She said: “The United States is committed to leveraging our respective strengths and partnering on work that matters to farmers, to communities, to our nations. With Zimbabwe's livestock sector struggling with inbreeding and a dearth of high-quality breeding stock, every effort should be made to improve the resilience of the sector.
“And we are particularly thrilled that AgBoost, an American AI-powered livestock genetics and herd analytics platform, is making its very first appearance in Africa right here in Zimbabwe, through its partnership with Kraal-Gen Analytics.”
The US envoy noted that Zimbabwe had the opportunity, through the project being undertaken by Kraal-Gen Analytics, to tap into the American genetics system, which is globally renowned.
“Kraal-Gen Analytics and AgBoost are positioned to be indispensable partners in reaching that ambitious and important goal. Globally, the United States is a leader in bovine genetics exports, with worldwide sales reaching $482 million in 2025,” she said.
“That figure reflects not only the strength of American agricultural science and breeding technology, but also the trust our trade partners place in the quality and reliability of U.S. genetic stock.”
Tremont noted that since Independence, the US has invested heavily in supporting local farmers.
“Since 1980, the United States has stood alongside Zimbabwe's farmers. In just the past five years, we have supported nearly 1.5 million smallholder farmers through livestock and crop production programs and market linkages,” she added.
“Today, this partnership is entering a new phase - one defined not by traditional assistance, but by trade, investment, and shared commercial opportunity.”
The Zimbabwe Genomics Pilot Insight Session event was also attended by representatives from the United States Livestock Genetics Export (USLGE).
Kraal-Gen Analytics managing director Shamiso Masuka noted that her company can equip cattle breeders with cutting-edge technology to boost productivity.
She said: “Ultimately, every livestock producer is trying to improve the productivity and profitability of their herd. Today, technology gives us the ability to collect an extraordinary amount of information about an animal.
“For breeders who do not currently have access to genetic information, Kraal-Gen can facilitate that access through the strategic partnerships we have established.”
Challenges faced by cattle breeders, Masuka added, can be addressed by a range of data analytical tools, which Kraal-Gen Analytics was utilising in their pilot project in Zimbabwe.
“Instead of leaving the breeder with disconnected sets of information, the aim is to help bring all this information together to help answer practical questions,” she said.
“And that brings us to the pilot. The pilot turned out to be particularly interesting because we had not deliberately designed it this way. Our three participating breeders presented us with three very different scenarios.”
At the turn of the century, Zimbabwe was exporting about 40 000 tonnes of beef per annum to the European Union (EU), with most of that coming from the Matabeleland region.
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