dyton mupawaenda
Elita Chikwati
THE GOVERNMENT has activated provincial and district disaster response teams that include all departments led by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development to save livestock affected by the current dry conditions.
Hay has been transported to the needy areas and the Government is working with its partners to mobilise resources to save the national herd.
This follows delays in the rainy season which has resulted in depleted water reserves and grazing. The dry conditions have seen livestock in some parts of the country grazing noxious or toxic plants.
The most affected areas are Matabeleland North and South, southern parts of Masvingo and southern parts of Midlands.
Department of Veterinary Services, outgoing chief director, Dr Josphat Nyika, yesterday said the Government and its partners were working closely to ensure the areas have enough stockfeeds for the affected livestock. He said the El Nino-induced dry conditions had also resulted in low water levels in the dams, resulting in some cattle being stuck in the mud as they try to water themselves.
“We urge farmers to cart water for the cattle than letting the animals go to the drying up dams. The dry conditions have affected livestock. Water has become scarce. In a normal season, rains would have fallen in those areas and this would have improved water and pasture availability,” Dr Nyika said.
The Department of Veterinary Services is still compiling the number of cattle that have succumbed to the dry conditions.
Zimbabwe, along other Southern African states such as Mozambique, South Africa and Madagascar, is likely to receive normal to below normal rainfall during the 2023/24 rainfall season.
The El Niño phenomenon is usually associated with below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures leading to heat waves.
Over the years, Government has made deliberate efforts to accelerate irrigation use through rehabilitation of equipment and development of new schemes throughout the country to improve agricultural production despite the effects of climate change.
Government is improving planning, early warning and climate change management systems to cushion smallholder farmers from extreme weather events and boost production to necessitate national food security.
The Government is targeting to increase the area under irrigation from the current 193 000ha to 350 000 hectares by 2025 to boost agricultural production.
The rolling out of dam construction countrywide will also boost agricultural production, provide potable water and install mini-hydro power projects.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter