SOLIDARIDAD ZAMBIA

              THE FUTURE OF BEEF IS DEFORESTATION-FREE When a large, global food company commits to deforestation-free commodities its entire supply chain listens. And when McDonald’s does so, other global food companies follow suit. That’s why the   company’s commitment   to source only deforestation-free beef by 2020 in   regions with identified risks   relating to the preservation of forests holds such promise to protect critical habitats, including Latin America’s most valuable ecosystems. Many factors drive deforestation, but beef production is the biggest. Cattle ranching occupy about   80 percent   of the deforested area in the Amazon, and it has led to the conversion of nearly  200 million acres  of Cerrado habitat. The   environmental impacts of deforestation   are clear: it contributes to climate change, drought, soil degradation and erosion, water pollution, the sprea...

PUBLIC HEARING ON PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION & LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International with the support from Solidaridad Zambia hosted a Public Hearing meeting on the April 7, 2017 at Radisson Blu Hotel. The participation was drawn from the Government, Media and various CSOs.  The purpose of the Public Hearing was to get views from the invited audience about Sustainable Landscape Management (SLM).  These included their general understanding and appreciation of Sustainable Landscape Management; how SLM affects the climate change from one condition to another, the economic dynamics of forest ecosystems and other different values that since SLM exist naturally in a variety of structure and each structure. The meeting discussed  that sustainable land management requires a systematic approach and cooperation among actors operating in the supply chain, from producer to final consumer. It involves enga...

                                    TAKING THE DAIRY INDUSTRY FORWARD Despite of the increased demand for improved dairy crosses, there are currently no commercial cattle breeders in the country, making access to breed stock expensive and beyond the reach of smallholder farmers. The limited genetic potential of local cattle breeds currently being milked is a major factor accounting for low milk productivity and viability of smallholder dairy farming. Productivity within Zambian traditional dairy sector is at 2 litres per cow per day. However, there are some emergent farmers who also keep cross breeds produce between 12 and 15 litres, while commercial producers who use pure breeds are at between 17 and 24 litres per animal per day. It is therefore important to enable the small scale farmers to have access to improved dairy animal breeds. Although pure breeds have a higher yield...