By CHILA NAMAIKO –
GOVERNMENT is targeting to vaccinate six million indigenous chickens against New Castle Disease (NCD) in comparison to 3.5 million vaccinated last year.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister, Greyford Monde told Parliament last week that preparations for a comprehensive livestock census to be conducted next year had also reached an advanced stage.
Mr Monde said the vaccination of the chickens was one way in which the Government could help to reduce incidences of disease affecting chickens.
In a ministerial statement on efforts being made and results achieved by Zambia in exporting meat to the rest of the world, Mr Monde said 1,600,000 cattle would be vaccinated this year against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) compared to 1,121,386 vaccinated in 2015.
“The increase is due to the recent outbreak in Western Province,” he said.
About 500,000 cattle would be vaccinated against the Contagious Bovine Pluero Pneumonia (CBPP) in Western and North-Western provinces compared to 450,000 in 2015.
In addition, 80,000 calves would be immunised against East Coast Fever (ECF) in Eastern and Southern provinces from 71,860 that were immunised in 2015.
Zambia has a cattle population of 4.2 million and to sustain the export market, the country needs to have about seven million herds of cattle.
To prevent the spread of ECF, the Government is targeting to construct 224 new dip tanks, rehabilitate 297, while 80 camp houses would be rehabilitated.
Mr Nonde also disclosed that the Government would buy 312 motorbikes and 125 extension kits for extension officers.
Meanwhile, Works and Supply Minister, Yamfwa Mukanga told the House that the construction of infrastructure was being conducted fairly contrary to assertions that there was bias in the process.
He was responding to United Party for National Development (UPND) Choma Member of Parliament (MP) Cornelius Mweetwa who accused Government of being biased in the manner various infrastructure projects were being implemented.
Citing the Kafue-Livingstone Road, Mr Mweetwa said the stretch was in a poor state posing a danger to motorists, and that Government had not taken interest to upgrade it.
Mr Mukanga, however, said the province was receiving massive infrastructural projects including Choma district to improve the welfare of the local people.