THE Zimbabwe Commercial Rabbit Breeders Association (Zicorba) has raised concern over a worsening rabbit feed shortage that is threatening the viability of rabbit farming in the country.
The issue emerged during the association's Annual General Meeting and Field Day held on Saturday at Monica Mudonhi's rabbitry in Ruwa. The event brought together commercial and emerging rabbit farmers from across Zimbabwe.
Members highlighted the critical shortage of rabbit pellets on the market, rising feed costs and concerns over inconsistent feed quality.
Farmers reported that many feed suppliers are either out of stock or producing compromised formulations, forcing producers to reduce their stock levels, use inadequate substitutes or exit the sector altogether.
“Feed constitutes over 70% of production costs in rabbit farming. When pellets are scarce, expensive, and of questionable quality, it asphyxiates the entire value chain,” Zicorba president Regis Nyamakanga said.
“Our farmers are doing their part to grow protein supply and create jobs, but they cannot sustain production under these conditions.
Nyamakanga warned that if the situation is not addressed urgently, it could undermine food security efforts, small business growth and Zimbabwe's livestock diversification goals.
“Without reliable and affordable feed, the gains made in rabbit meat production and youth and women participation in agriculture are at risk,” he said.
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Zicorba called for urgent intervention from government and other stakeholders to support local pellet manufacturers and improve access to raw materials to stabilise supply and pricing.
“The association is also urging regulatory bodies to strengthen quality control and enforcement to protect farmers from substandard feed, and is appealing to partners and investors to work with Zicorba in developing sustainable feed solutions and aggregation models that benefit small-scale producers,” the association said in a statement on Monday.
“Zicorba remains committed to working with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources Development, feed manufacturers, and development partners to secure a resilient feed supply chain.”
The association commended Mudonhi for hosting the AGM and Field Day, which showcased best farming practices and demonstrated the resilience of rabbit producers despite the challenges facing the sector.
