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Vincent Gono, Features Editor
THE Government is going to drill boreholes in the drier parts of the country on an emergency basis as it moves to avert the continued effects of drought that has killed more than 10 000 cattle amid revelations that the country is expected to receive below average rainfall during the entire season.
Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Douglas Karoro told Sunday News in an interview that the rate at which farmers were losing cattle, especially in the dry parts of the country, was alarming. Without giving statistics, he said as a quick response to the effects of drought and to avert further deaths of livestock, the Government was going to drill boreholes in the most affected parts of the country which encompasses the two Matabeleland provinces, Masvingo, Midlands and parts of Mashonaland West.
“It is true that drought has decimated cattle in the drier parts of our country like in Matabeleland, Midlands and Masvingo. As a ministry we are seized with this sad chapter in our quest to improve livestock production. Government will soon drill boreholes on an emergency basis to cater for livestock in the drier regions of the country. We also urge farmers to sell part of their herds and invest in supplementary livestock feeds,” said Deputy Minister Karoro.
He would not give the exact figures of cattle that have so far succumbed to drought but said they were well in excess of 10 000.
Deputy Minister Karoro said parts of the areas affected were the Zambezi Valley stretching from Binga through Dande area to Rushinga. A forecast released by the Southern Africa Forecasting Information and other weather experts says the bulk of Southern Africa is expected to receive below average rainfall.
“Most parts of Namibia, Zimbabwe, south and central Zambia, south and central Mozambique, Eswatini and to some extent Lesotho are expected to experience below average rainfall during the entire season which may result in consecutive crop production deficit,” read part of the forecast report.
The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Rtd Chief Marshal Perrance Shiri also presented a similar rainfall forecast for the country from the Meteorological Services Department for the season 2019/20 last month.
If the predicted rainfall forecast is anything to go by, farmers will need to brace up for more losses and Deputy Minister Karoro believes the boreholes will come in handy in alleviating further cattle deaths going forward.
“The forecasting is such that we do not expect much rains. So the idea of boreholes will go a long way in averting further cattle and other livestock losses going forward,” he said.
Online Reporter