Forget cattle & invest in pigs – LCU urges youths

Livingstone Cooperatives Union (LCU) has urged youths […]

Livingstone Cooperatives Union (LCU) has urged youths around the country to consider pig farming as a lucrative business that can help them improve their livelihoods within a relatively short period.

Speaking in an interview with Zambian Business Times-ZBT, LCU Chairperson, Rwinick Mapanza said pig farming can provide faster returns compared to livestock businesses such as cattle.

 Mapanza said pigs have a high reproduction rate, allowing farmers to build their herds quickly and generate income from sales.

“One pig can give you sometimes nine to 12 piglets, and within another year it can give you the same, so within a short period your lifestyle can change,” he said.

Mapanza added that pig farming can be suitable for beginners and smallscale farmers because pigs do not require large grazing areas like cattle.

 “The important thing is to have the knowledge of how to manage the business, and pigs are not like cattle where you have to always take them for grazing because you can confine them and feed them,” he said.

Mapanza told ZBT that farmers can also explore different sources of feed instead of depending entirely on expensive commercial feeds, helping them manage production costs.

 He explained that the business can generate regular income when properly planned, as farmers can stagger production and sell pigs at different times of the year.

“If you plan it well, you can be selling every month, and if you are selling at between K2,500 and K3,500 per pig, that is a rewarding business for a small-scale farmer,” said Mapanza.

Mapanza said youths should change the perception that farming is mainly for retired people and instead view livestock production as a serious business opportunity capable of creating wealth.

Article by Philip Sinkala