The sound of cattle bells and the rhythm of rural life shaped the dreams of Zimasa Qwayele of Umzimvubu Local Municipality, Alfred Nzo District, long before she became an Animal Health Technician (AHT).
Growing up in rural eMaXesibeni, Qwayele s passion for agriculture and animal health was ignited at a young age. The same passion has now positioned her as a key player in Animal Helath as she is one of 13 AHTs supported through a government programme aimed at strengthening Primary Animal Healthcare (PAHC) facilities in rural communicates.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has invested a sum of more than R500 000 to boost the enterprises of the 13 AHTs with equipment and vouchers which they would use to purchase medication. The initiative is spearheaded by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the Department of Agriculture s (DoA) Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (TARDI).
For Qwayele who owns a PAHC facility at eMaXesibeni, the investment represents far more than financial support, it is the fulfilment of a calling in community service.
She tells a story of how she grew up actively participating” in the 4H programme where the DoA trained primary school learners on agricultural activities.
Through that programme I was exposed to agriculture growing up. From then on, I knew I wanted to pursue agriculture, particularly dealing with animals,” Qwayele said.
Her journey saw her enrol at TARDI where she obtained an Animal Health Diploma before joining DoA in 2017 as an experiential leaner, working with animal technicians and veterinary services gaining experience in vaccinations, dipping, sample collection and clinical animal healthcare interventions.
Qwayele later broadened her experience within the pharmaceutical sector, where she worked with farmers and gained deeper insight into the daily struggles facing livestock owners in rural communities.
I realised rural farmers were suffering because animal health services were too far away. Some had to travel more than 100 kilometers just to buy medication for a few sheep. That reality deeply affected me,” she said.
The experience led her to establish her own Primary Animal Healthcare Facility in eMaXesibeni, brining much needed veterinary support services closer to rural communities.
Her initial idea was to buy and re-sell vacancies while continuing with her job, but when she continued to interact with farmers, she realised training, awareness and practical knowledge about animal health in the rural area was a need.
She quit her job and managed to grow her enterprise from just being a retail shop to becoming an animal health entity that provides AgriSeta accredited training, hosts of farmers day, learnerships and study groups.
Her enterprise was also supported with equipment to assist in animal health by the Office of the Premier and received investments from National Youth Development Agency and Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency, she said
Recently, MEC Nonkqubela Pieters handed over starter kits which included equipment and vouchers to the 13 young entrepreneurs.
The equipment includes an animal branding kit, a dousing gun, animal castration equipment, biosecurity equipment, mini fridges, cooler boxes and microscopes among others.
MEC Pieters said the establishment of Primary Animal Healthcare Facilities within local communities was a critical intervention.” It decentralizes service delivery, reduces the cost and time burden on farmers and strengthens the first line of defence against animal disease and livestock losses.
We are enhancing biosecurity and disease surveillance capacity at a community level,”
Qwayele expressed appreciation for the coordinated intergovernmental effort saying that the collaboration was instrumental in ensuring that AHTs in the province were empowered with business skills to run successful enterprises.
This equipment will enable my company to operate as a fully-fledged Animal Healthcare Facility.”
