Online Reporter
Leonard Ncube
Herald Reporter
Government has bought over 3 000 hay baling tractors to be distributed to four livestock provinces in the country as one of the measures to protect and rebuild the national herd in the wake of serious poverty and disease-related deaths.
This comes as Government is implementing a raft of measures to address the various feed and water-related challenges facing livestock communities in drought-stricken regions.
Zimbabwe recorded over 50 000 cattle deaths in 2024 due to water and food shortages triggered by the El Niño-induced drought, with the 2024/2025 rainy season offering a lifeline to farmers.
The country had close to 6 million cattle, and a significant percentage of these died due to poverty and disease, with the annual outbreak of Theileriosis, commonly known as January disease, claiming the majority of disease-related deaths. Presently, Government is conducting a countrywide livestock assessment to update the number of cattle, goats, sheep, donkeys, and other domestic animals.
However, some districts have recorded more calving than deaths this rainy season, raising hope that the national herd will actually grow.
Speaking in Hwange, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said several measures are being rolled out to address issues such as ticks, diseases, and drought that cause debilitation of cattle in communal areas.
“So we are giving farmers tick grease under the Presidential Bliss Tick Grease Programme to ensure that they can suppress and manage ticks. Once we are able to do so, then we will be able to do some restocking, but at the same time, we have a vibrant project where we are doing artificial insemination, which is just starting now,” said Dr Masuka.
He said artificial insemination is being carried out with an improved indigenous breed. He added that Government has initiated several programmes in terms of livestock, especially in the livestock provinces.
“We have said what we want to see, as we are coming from the worst drought in 43 years. We are expecting more tractors, about 3 100 tractors under the mechanisation programme this month. We will allocate tractors to Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands, and Masvingo, the main livestock provinces, to cut hay along the roads so that they can prepare for drought,” said Dr Masuka.
He was responding to concerns by players in the livestock sector who urged Government to also extend extra raw materials for stock feed formulation, the same way the crop sub-sector is subsidised, to curtail poverty deaths in domestic animals.
Some farmers lost as many as 100 cattle during the course of last year due to poverty and disease-related deaths.
Minister Masuka said it is President Mnangagwa’s vision for farmers to protect their herd through the Presidential Rural Development Programme, which is biased towards community development.
Under this programme, various projects, including borehole drilling in all community areas, dam construction, establishment of Village Business Units, and others, are being implemented to help grow the national herd.
Meanwhile, Government is also capacitating women at household level with 10 chickens each as part of empowerment programmes, under a scheme that started three years ago.
