The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
A RAPID drought assessment team led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development has established that Chiredzi district in Masvingo Province has the highest number of cattle dying at more than
1 000 this year due to the effects of drought while Matabeleland South is the most susceptible.
This was revealed by the Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister responsible for Livestock Production, Paddy Zhanda while addressing agricultural stakeholders at an inception workshop on improved food security of drought affected households in Zimbabwe-a Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) initiated by FAO in Bulawayo last Thursday.
Deputy Minister Zhanda led the team, which undertook the crop and livestock assessment exercise from 29 March to 2 April.
The team comprised the Division of Livestock Production and Development, Department of Veterinary Services and FAO officials. The exercise covered Manicaland, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and South and its findings indicated that grazing was poor in 26 districts of the country.
“Generally, the low lying districts in all provinces were affected in terms of grazing and water availability. In Matabeleland South all districts were affected whereas in some provinces certain wards within districts were affected. However, in the current season highest poverty deaths were recorded in Chiredzi district, which has recorded a total of 1 021 deaths to date out of the 49 914 cattle in the worst affected areas of the district,” Dep Minister Zhanda said.
He said Chipinge South district in Manicaland Province has lost about 604 cattle to date out of 29 303 that are in the worst affected areas.
“These deaths are an unnecessary loss to the individual households as well as to the economy. In monetary terms, it is a loss of about $650 000 at $400 per animal. If only farmers can take necessary precautions such high losses can be avoided,” Dep Minister Zhanda said.
He said Chipinge and Chiredzi districts were the worst affected areas because they have lost their coping strategies.
“Households in Chipinge and Chiredzi used to take their livestock to Gonarezhou National Park for relief grazing (though this is not an encouraged practice due to diseases). In Chipinge farmers also used Chipangali state land for relief grazing.
However, Gonarezhou was fenced off and Chipangali was resettled by A2 farmers. As a result these households have lost their means of coping during the dry period, hence the high death rates,” Dep Minister Zhanda said.
He said it was important to ensure that Government and its partners play a pivotal role in mitigating against loss of livestock due to drought in the affected areas to ensure food and nutrition security at household as well as at national level further stating that the mitigation strategies should be implemented timeously before the death of animals.
“It is against this background that the Government made an appeal to stakeholders to assist in the drought affected areas.
FAO responded to this call and released a total of $2,1 million under the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), which will be used to obtain and distribute stock feed and small grain seed inputs (sorghum and cowpeas) for the households in affected areas,” Dep Minister Zhanda said.
A total of 8 000 households from Gwanda, Matobo, Mangwe and Chivi are expected to benefit from the drought tolerant crop inputs, while a total of 6 715 households from Beitbridge, Mangwe, Gwanda, Matobo, Chivi, Chiredzi and Chipinge are expected to benefit from the livestock inputs.
“More households can benefit since the programme will be on a revolving fund basis. These inputs will be distributed on a cost recovery basis. They will be sold at half the market price for the current prevailing prices of livestock feed, and the money will go towards establishment of a revolving fund.”
This is not the first time FAO has implemented the drought mitigation programme, but the programme has been on-going in Matabeleland South Province. It was implemented in parts of Midlands, Matabeleland North and Masvingo Provinces in 2013/14 season.
“I have the pleasure to announce that the programme has been a success in these areas as indicated by the reduced mortalities and livestock development activities implemented from the revolving funds,” Dep Minister Zhanda said.
Activities that have been carried out using FAO funds include the construction of four feedlots in Midlands and six in Matabeleland South provinces. There has been construction of four warehouses with a capacity of 360 tonnes in Beitbridge and another four with a capacity of 450 tonnes in Chiredzi and one in Chivi with a capacity of 360 tonnes as well as the construction of watering points at 51 boreholes rehabilitated in Mwenezi district of Masvingo.
“I would like to urge all of you here to continue working together in implementing a wide-range of drought mitigation strategies, which include urging farmers to destock to avoid huge losses, hay harvesting, preservation of crop residues, water harvesting techniques, feed-lotting to fodder and pasture production,” Dep Minister Zhanda said.
The Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee, chaired by Food and Nutrition Council had their 2015 results indicating that 16 percent of rural households were food insecure as a result of poor cereal harvests. The highest prevalence of this food insecurity was recorded in the low lying regions of the country such as Masvingo, Matabeleland South and North, Midlands and lower parts of Manicaland.
“Arid and semi arid parts of the country cover about two thirds of the country where their main source of livelihood is livestock. It is in these areas as well where grazing and water situation was found to be very poor during the assessment carried out in April,” Dep Minister Zhanda said.
Speaking after a tour of part of Matabeleland South and Mangwe Farmers Association feedlots the deputy minister said he was impressed about the infrastructure initiated by the association with the assistance of Bulawayo Abattoir citing that the concept improved the cattle’s condition enabling farmers to get value upon selling their animals.
“It’s a good strategy from the farmers point of view, it adds value to their cattle. You can actually visit Mangwe and see that they have added value to their cattle. So that’s what we are encouraging.
“We are not only encouraging our farmers to do feedlots but to accept that its commercial business. They must continue to feedlot on a yearly basis and sell their animals at better prices.”
