adminThe resettled farmers are reportedly charging up to 4 000 rand or an equivalent of a beast or two to graze 10 beasts.
Villagers who spoke to Chronicle in separate interviews on Tuesday expressed concern over the issue and accused resettled farmers of taking advantage of the situation to fleece them.
“The situation is very bad akulamadlelo lonyaka (there are no pastures this year) and a lot of cattle will die. Unfortunately, some people are taking advantage of the situation to profiteer,” said Mr Jabulani Zondo from Donkwe Donkwe area in Matobo district.
“Villagers are being asked to pay cash or two beasts for every 10 cattle. The sad thing is that dams at irrigation schemes have also dried up and there are fears that many cattle will die of starvation,” he said.
A villager from Matopo area who declined to be named said unless they find alternative grazing, many cattle would die.
“We are in a tight situation and most people are planning to move their cattle to places with pastures.
“The big challenge is that many of us do not have the money to pay for the grazing and what has worsened the situation is that we do not have many cattle so we cannot use beasts to pay for grazing,” said a villager.
Matabeleland South has been hard hit by the drought, which has also resulted in massive crop failure.
Farming in the province is predominantly ranching and the shortage of pastures is therefore a big threat to farmers’ economic survival.
“There is scarcity of grass for cattle everywhere and farmers would be greatly affected. Wherever I go, I meet people driving their cattle while others are being transported by vehicles to areas with better pastures,” said Chief Mathema of Gwanda.
“The Government should restore traditional boundaries for the chiefs in order to help solve this problem. Families living adjacent to the farms should be allowed to graze their cattle in the farms where there is still some grazing,” said Chief Mathema.
Chief Mpini of Bulilima District also concurred.
He urged farmers to start stocking hay from other areas in order to save their livestock.
“We received little rain this year and the pastures we have cannot take us to the next rainy season. By September, we will be having a crisis,” said Chief Mpini.
He said the problem was that there were no paddocks resulting in overgrazing.
“There is a need for farmers to stock hay but the problem again is that they will be forced to pay for it,” said Chief Mpini.
Chief Nyangazonke of Matobo District confirmed that some resettled farmers were demanding exorbitant grazing fees.
“It is sad that some people want to profiteer from drought. In some places chiefs have agreed to accommodate neighbours’ cattle but some village heads and their subjects are refusing.
“We are trying to engage Matopo National Park to allocate us some paddocks in order to save our cattle,” said Chief Nyangazonke.
He said there was a need for chiefs in the province to meet Agritex officials and the Department of Veterinary Services to strategise on how to handle the issue of grazing.
He urged agro-dealers to avail stock feed to farmers on credit.
Contacted for comment, Matabeleland South Governor and Resident Minister, Angeline Masuku said most farmers in the province were already facing serious shortage of pastures and condemned the charging of exorbitant grazing fees.
“The grazing situation is very bad. We urge those with enough pastures to share with others. We strongly condemn the exploitation of villagers especially by resettled farmers,” said Governor Masuku.
She advised farmers to move cattle to places with pastures and also to sell some of the cattle.
Governor Masuku urged villagers and resettled farmers to guard against veld fires in order to conserve the little pastures left.
Online Reporter