By KASONDE KASONDE –

GOVERNMENT has set aside K58 million for the rehabilitation and construction of dip tanks across the country.

Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Permanent Secretary David Shamulenga said the Government wanted to construct dip tanks across the country in an attempt to fight livestock diseases.

Speaking in Kabwe yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on Central Province Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale, Dr Shamulenga said he was in the province for a livestock disease surveillance workshop. Dr Shamulenga said the Government was aware of the many challenges
that livestock farmers were facing in safeguarding their animals as there were limited dip tanks in some areas.

He said the ministry had embarked on the rehabilitation and construction of the dip tanks and plans were underway to ensure that the project was completed by July this year.

“As a ministry we want to complete the rehabilitation of the dip tanks by July this as some of them have been in existence for more than 20 years,” Dr Shamulenga said.

Dr Shamulenga said Central Province’s livestock population had increased which had also led to the animal disease outbreaks.

He said the number of organisations, especially women clubs donating animals to empower women had also contributed to the population of livestock.

He said this called for more dip tanks to be situated in Central province to prevent livestock disease outbreaks.

Dr Shamulenga added that the workshop would enhance the collection of data on livestock population and disease.

Ms Mutale said the province had a number of Livestock farmers and therefore the move to construct dip tanks was welcome.

Ms Mutale said it was important for the province to have enough dip tanks if animal diseases were to be contained whenever there was an outbreak.