Functions

· Controlling trade in animals and animal products, and importation of biologicals, vaccines and drugs.

· Ensuring that national veterinary certification and import requirements conform to OIE and WTO standards.

· Registering approved establishments like abattoirs, processing or cutting plants, cold stores and authorized persons

· Promoting animal welfare and public relations

· Assisting with the drafting and updating of animal health legislation

Objectives

· To prevent introduction of specified animal diseases and pests into Zimbabwe

· To ensure that only healthy animals and wholesome livestock products are imported

· To compile appropriate veterinary import/export certification for animals and animal products

· To establish a recording system for live exports

· To establish revenue collection for permits and certificates issued

· To monitor developments in the trade and formulation of legislation on issues regarding GMO's to prevent introduction of specified animal diseases and pests into Zimbabwe

· To be well informed about the OIE International Animal Health Code, FAO, WTO/SPS agreement as well as the Codex Alimentarius standards

· To vigilantly update own awareness of new developments in all of the above and disseminate the information accordingly.

· To respond timeously to WTO notifications and FAO/WHO communications

· To ensure compliance with set standards at national level

· To ensure compliance with importer requirements

· To monitor returns from establishments registered for export.

· To safeguard the welfare of all animals

· To promote the humane treatment of animals in scientific experiments

· To enforce the Scientific Animal Experiments Act

· To be well informed about the Codes of practice in the livestock industry

· To maintain a valid and user friendly statutory legislation register

· To vigilantly attend to areas of concern in the legislation.

Activities

1. Issuing veterinary import permits for animals, animal products, vaccines, drugs and related animal health products in terms of the Animal Health Act

2. Providing technical advice on imports, exports and veterinary legislation to the Principal Director, staff and stakeholders

3. Compiling and maintaining import/export health certificates

4. Researching on, assessing and monitoring the epidemiological status and disease testing capabilities of trading partners in order to make informed decisions

5. Maintaining appropriate contact with relevant authorities in exporting countries.

6. MISSION STATEMENT

7. To provide agricultural planning framework for the ministry, conduct economic researches, policy analyses and reviews, as well as provide policy advice and information to the agricultural industry.

8.

9. DEPARTMENTAL STRUCTURE

10. The department has two subsections namely:

11. Agricultural Development, Policy And Project Management

12. Marketing and Trade.

13. A Director, aided by two Deputy Directors, heads the department. Chief Agricultural Economists report to the Deputy Directors. Below them are the Agricultural Economists.

14. The department has recently decentralized its services to the effect that various provincial offices have been created. At provincial level the functions of the department are like those for the head office staff and are not differentiated according to the above sub sections.

15. The functions of the department cannot be fully achieved without the participation of the Information Unit. This is a unit within the department which assist in

16. Relaying information within and outside the department

17. Capturing data for the Agricultural Policy Management and Marketing Information System (APMMIS) Bulletin.

18.