Presentation during Workshop

1. Zambian National Strategic
and Action Plans on AnGR
Status, Challenges and Opportunities
AnGR Training on the Development of National Strategies and
Action Plans for Animal Genetic Resources

2. Contents
• Background
• Priority Areas
• Status
• Challenges
• Opportunities

3. Background
• Agricultural production in Zambia is patterned along the dualistic
agriculture of communal agricultural lands (traditional) and titled
commercial sector.
• The agricultural sector contributes between eleven and sixteen
percent to country’s GDP.
• The sector comprises about 85% small-scale farmers who utilise
about 75% of the cultivated land and about 15% commercial farmers
who utilise the remaining 25%.
• The livestock sector contributes around 35% to the agricultural GDP
in Zambia.

4. Background
Population Trends

5. Background

6. Priority Areas
• Characterization of Indigenous breeds of major livestock species
• Development of Livestock Breeding Policy
• Monitoring of Trends on AnGR
• Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of AnGR
• Improvement of Performance of Indigenous Breeds through
crossbreeding and selection within breeds
• Development of Livestock Infrastructure – Livestock Service Centres
• Improve the capacity of human resources trained in management of
AnGR

7. Status on Management of AnGR
Characterization
A. Phenotypic Characterization
- Only the Angoni and Barotse breeds of cattle characterized
A. Molecular characterization
⁻ Genetic characterization on 4 indigenous cattle breeds to determine relatedness
⁻ Collection of blood samples from some populations Cattle andGoats is on-going done
Inventory and Monitoring
Livestock Breed Surveys
⁻ National breed survey done 15 years ago
⁻ Pilot livestock census done 4 years ago (Only in 3 districts), planning to have a holistic
census in 2016

8. Status on Management of AnGR
A. In-vivo Conservation
 On-station conservation of Tonga Cattle
 On-station conservation of strains of chicken – frizzle feathered,
short-legged, Zambi and naked necked
B. Ex-situ Conservation
Cryo-conservation of semen from Angoni and Baila breeds of cattle at
the A.I centre

9. Status on Management of AnGR
Strategies and Institutional framework
 National Focal Point in place since 1999
 Allocation of budgetary component on AnGR
 Draft Livestock Policy developed and by end of year develop:
- Draft Livestock Breeding Policy (Characterization, conservation and
sustainable utilization)
- Draft Marketing Policy on Livestock

10. Status on Management of AnGR
Strategies and Institutional framework
 Livestock Service Centres established across the country
 Livestock breeding centres set at various points
 Liquid nitrogen plant installed at the A.I centre
 Development of Satellite A.I centres
 Processing of semen collection and packaging at the A.I. centre for
Improvement of Local breeds of cattle
 Development of Gene Bank for preservation of Semen at the A.I
centre (Baila and Angoni breeds of cattle)

11. Challenges and opportunities
A. Challenges
• Lack of Infrastructure for breeding purposes
• Lack of suitable subpopulations or lines for crossbreeding
• High cost of genetic material from exotic breeds
• Poor animal recording among smallholder livestock keepers
• Very small number of stud breeders
• Low capacity of human resources in trained in Animal Breeding at
higher levels

12. Challenges and opportunities
B. Opportunities
• Great opportunity for collaboration especially on transboundary
breeds
• Great opportunity for studies on indigenous livestock e.g.
characterization

13. THANK YOU