WWF Zimbabwe recently convened a high-level stakeholder workshop to chart the way forward for the Time2Graze Programme a sustainable livestock-grazing initiative being rolled out across eight network countries.
The workshop was aimed at building a shared understanding of Time2Graze, reviewing lessons from ongoing agro-ecology pilots, and co-design strategic impact areas and an implementation plan for Zimbabwe.
Andrew Chamisa, livestock research director in the Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Development ministry, applauded the project, saying the Time2Graze project will bring life-changing benefits to rural communities.
“The information generated will boost rangeland production, sustain livestock numbers and help us to calculate greenhouse gas emissions for reduction. A multi-stakeholder team will pool skills and experience for the communities’ benefit,” he said.
Chamisa said the programme arrived at a critical moment for Zimbabwe’s livestock sector when farmers are facing increasingly erratic rainfall and rising temperatures, which threaten pasture availability and herd health.
“By giving them real-time data on pasture conditions and a clear grazing calendar, Time2Graze will empower them to make decisions that protect both their incomes and the environment.
“This is not a top-down project. It brings together researchers, extension officers, farmer groups, and the private sector.
“The knowledge we gather will be shared openly, so every farmer, whether they have a few goats or a large cattle herd, can benefit from better rangeland management.”
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Funded by the Global Methane Hub, the programme will provide farmers with tools to assess pasture availability and determine optimal grazing times.
It aims to improve pasture productivity, restore degraded ecosystems and strengthen farmer resilience to climate challenges.
The initiative draws on agro-ecology demonstration trials run over the past three seasons in Binga and at the Matopos Research Station, in partnership with the Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services and the Department of Research and Specialist Services.
The trials tested conservation agriculture, agroforestry and soil-fertility practices.
Zimbabwe’s rangelands cover roughly 70% of the country’s land area and support the livelihoods of over 60% of the population, many of whom rely on small-scale livestock production.
In recent years, recurrent droughts, overgrazing and land degradation have reduced pasture yields by up to 30% in some districts, threatening food security and increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
WWF has been active in the region for more than two decades, working with government agencies, NGOs and local communities to promote sustainable land use practices.
