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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The water situation in Beitbridge town and grazing lands remains critical although the district has started receiving rains.
The Herald understands that the five major agriculture weather stations in the district have received below normal rains and most water sources and boreholes are drying up.
There are 1 350 registered boreholes in the district and 32 small dams with most of whom not functioning to full capacity due to siltation. The district reportedly needs between 350mm and 450mm for a successful cropping season. Over 4 000 cattle deaths induced by drought have been recorded in Beitbridge since the last farming season, while close to 15 000 people are in need of food aid. Beitbridge’s agriculture extensions services officer Mr Masauso Mawocha said on Friday that the livestock situation remained fair to poor.
“We have a false start to the rains season with our five major stations recording the following: Tongwe (49mm), , Zezani (92mm), Shabwe (32mm) Mazunga (64mm) and Chaswingo (21mm),” said Mr Mawocha.
“We advise farmers to continue sourcing stock feeds for their livestock while we pray for better rains during this farming season. You will also note that dry land crop production has not started but land preparation is underway in most areas across the district especially where people received agriculture inputs under the Presidential Inputs Scheme”.
The official said a total of 23 000 farmers received small grains, 6 000 maize seed, 8 400 fertilisers and 4 000 received fall armyworm chemicals under the Presidential inputs scheme. Beitbridge district is a drought prone area where animal husbandry and irrigation farming are the main source of livelihoods for communal farmers.
It is estimated that there are 200 000 cattle, 145 000 goats, 60 000 sheep, 37 000 donkeys, 2000 pigs, 6 000 dogs and 28 000 poultry in the district. In separate interviews farmers across the district said they had started land preparations ahead of a full scale rain season.
“We are in the midst of a devastating drought, but however, we are not giving up, we have started preparing our fields with the little rains we have received. Most of us are hopeful that we will get better rains to save our livestock and to boost issues of food and nutrition in most households,” said Mr Elvis Dube of Mtetengwe Ward 6.
Another farmer from Beitbridge East constituency, Ms Sithabile Mbedzi said they will continue buying stock feeds for their livestock until the pastures improve. In the last two decades livestock numbers in Matabeleland South have continued to decline due to drought, perennial diseases, and stock thefts among other things.
This area falls under Agriculture Natural Region Five and the Meteorological Services Region Three respectively.
Online Reporter