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Tinomuda Chakanyuka
GOVERNMENT has said farmers in Matabeleland South Province should start destocking by selling their livestock to avoid suffering total losses due to the drought that has besieged the province, owing to the erratic rainfall experienced this rain season.
Crops in most parts of the province, particularly Beitbridge, Matobo and Insiza, have succumbed to moisture stress and are now a complete write-off, while pasture lands for livestock have also dried up due to poor rainfall.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister in charge of Livestock Cde Paddy Zhanda told Sunday News recently that the crop and livestock situation in Matabeleland South province was critical and needed urgent Government intervention.
Cde Zhanda, who was in Matabeleland South Province together with Zanu-PF politburo member and Information Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo on a party assignment, said Government would soon convene a meeting with stakeholders to come up with strategies that could be used to salvage the situation.
He said — considering the failed crops and looming food shortages in the province — farmers needed to start selling their cattle and buy food, rather than wait for their cattle to die of starvation first and then wait for Government to give them food aid.
The agriculture deputy minister said Government would assist in providing a market for farmers who may want to sell their cattle, urging farmers in the province to set up feedlots as another strategy to save their livestock from succumbing to drought.
“Immediately we must call for a stakeholders’ meeting with all the interested parties and take some measures that will mitigate against total loss by farmers. What comes to mind is a situation where we provide a market to farmers who must destock and also to establish some feedlots within the area so that farmers don’t suffer total loss.
“I also have to take a message to Government that in this area obviously there is no cropping which survived and therefore there will be food assistance required as urgently as possible. Also to encourage farmers to unlock value in their animals and buy food, especially now that we have enough food in the country, GMB has enough stocks to mitigate against hunger in this area,” he said.
Prof Moyo echoed Cde Zhanda’s sentiments, noting that the state of vegetation in the province was critical and had serious implications on livestock.
“You know that whereas we were expecting a normal rainfall, the fact is that our expectation has not been met and it just takes a person to look at the state of the vegetation. The state of the vegetation is very, very bad. The deputy Minister of Agriculture responsible for livestock Cde Zhanda, who although is here on assignment to audit or verify the party’s structures, has been able to witness first hand — although again not for the first time — the developing and very threatening situation of drought with some quite some serious implications on our livestock,” he said.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) chairperson for Matabeleland North province Mr Winston Babbage said de-stocking was a welcome idea and urged farmers to embrace the proposal as they risked losing their livestock to drought if they held onto it.
“That (destocking) is a good idea. People like to keep cattle for prestige and status purposes but when you are faced with drought like this you need to take measures that prevent you from suffering total losses.
“In such times one needs to look at ways of unlocking value in their cattle and use that money for other purposes, rather than wait until you lose all your cattle. Farmers also need to set up feeding lots that will help mitigate against the impact of drought.
“I feel what deputy Minister Zhanda is saying makes sense and farmers should take heed because the advice benefits no one else but them,” he said.
Veteran journalist and social commentator Mr Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu concurred with Mr Babbage but, however, pointed out that the proposal by Government for farmers to consider destocking was likely to meet resistance because of cultural beliefs and prejudices.
Mr Gwakuba said livestock, particularly cattle, to the rural folk meant much more than the monetary value attached to them such that most people would find it difficult to sell their cattle and may hold on to them until they succumb to drought.
“Cattle are not only a means of economic existence in rural areas, but a social status symbol. Owning cattle carries a great deal of respect in communities. Indoda yindoda ngesibaya (a man is regarded a man by the size of his herd) such that even when you speak during meetings people first look at the size of your herd before they listen. So in view of such cultural beliefs embedded within our rural communities, the proposal by Government on destocking might be met with resistance.
“Farmers should however take heed of what Government is saying. Those beliefs are no longer applicable. It’s wiser to sell your cattle now while they are still valuable and keep the money to restock when the situation improves. If farmers hold on to their cattle they risk losing out,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said the perennial droughts and poor rains experienced in Matabeleland South province had existed right down the annals of history since the province lies in a climatic and geographical region that generally does not receive enough rains.
He said the province shared the same characteristics with areas such as the Northern Cape, Kimberly and Northern Transvaal in South Africa, the Kalahari desert in Botswana and Namib desert in Namibia where rainfall is recurrently scarce.
Online Reporter