NAC, Prisons scale up goat breeding project for improving dietary requirements for HIV inmates

Nompilo Mathuthu

08.06.23

The National Aids Council (NAC) and prisons in Matabeleland South have scaled up goat breeding projects in a move meant to improve dietary requirements of inmates on anti retroviral therapy.

Speaking to journalists recently at a media tour officer in charge Gwanda prison, superintendent Ishmael Madzimbamuto said the project has seen an increase in the number of goats being bred in prisons and is helping to meeting dietary requirements of in mates with HIV.

“The project is important as it ensures that inmates on antiretroviral therapy get adequate proteins and stay healthy. We have also extended this project to other prisons in Matabeleland, and Midlands, ” said Madzimbamuto.

Farm manager for Gwanda prison Joseph Muranda said to kick start the project NAC donated 80 female goats and three bucks in 2015.

“Those 80 female goats were Matebele breed and the three bucks were the Kalahari breed. NAC built us a goat housing, a dip tank to reduce deaths . In connection with that our current number of goats which we have now is 204 . Our main purpose with this goat project was to feed HIV positive inmates to provide them with protein, ” said Muranda.

He added that they were also given a task as Gwanda farm prison to be a centre of goats breeding.

“We were tasked to be a breeding house for the whole of Zimbabwe so what we have done as Gwanda farm prison is to give out goats to various prisons around the country. We have given Beitbridge 26, Kezi 6, Khami Prison 31, Midlands 44, Ntabazinduna 10 so as Gwanda farm prison we follow goat figures around Matabeleland South and our current figure is 327 goats which we have managed to house. So we feed our inmates quarterly with the goat meat and now we don’t feed specifically those in antiretroviral therapy but we are feeding everyone, ” said Muranda.

National Aids Council incoming NAC provincial manager Mgcini Sibanda said proper coordination resulted in the success of the project.

“Everything is possible if we manage properly hence the success of the goat breeding project. We had to ensure we breed goats that are specifically suited for this region after being equipped with knowledge on the nutritional value of goat meat for someone living with or without HIV, ” said Muranda.