The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo Senior Farming Reporter
ONE of the thrusts of the Food Security and Nutrition cluster in the Zim Asset economic blue print is to “create a self-sufficient and food surplus economy and see Zimbabwe re-emerge as the ‘Bread Basket of Southern Africa.’”
To achieve this, there is obviously a need for a dedicated farming community which takes the venture seriously.
The nation does not even need to look only to those who have benefited from the land reform to lead this goal, but to everyone who can make use of every available land they have.
One such individual who has undoubtedly nurtured himself as one of the biggest cattle farmers in the Matabeleland region and fits into the groove well is Mr Nkosana Moyo.
Mr Moyo, unfortunately, with all his potential is struggling to get adequate land to ensure that he takes his cattle farming expertise to another level.
Sad indeed, considering that some people who benefited from the land reform programme are failing to use the land.
Mr Moyo has more than 700 Brahman and cross Brahman breed of cattle for which he leases part of Matopo Research Station land and from a newly-resettled farmer in Marula while he also keeps 150 at his rural homestead in Figtree.
The enterprising farmer’s entry into cattle ranching, which was previously a domain of white commercial farmers, reads more like a fairy tale novel.
Mr Moyo managed to purchase five heifers in 2001 from the proceeds realised from his car, which he had turned into a cross border passengers and goods ferrying vehicle.
As his cross border business prospects grew, he bought 20 cattle in 2009, which saw his herd increasing to over 60 and thereafter his herd kept growing through impressive birth rates by his heifers and cows while he also bought a number of animals in the process.
To date he sells about 200 beasts a year to butcheries and abattoirs in Bulawayo.
“I developed a passion for rearing cattle when I was still young, herding my grandfather’s cattle and to a certain extent he was my inspiration because he also had a large herd.
“To date I have more than 700 cattle of which more than 300 are kept at a farm I lease from Matopo Research Station and also leased another piece of land from another farmer where I keep about 250 while over 150 are kept at my homestead,” Mr Moyo said.
His efforts to get land to rear his animals together have proved futile over the years as numerous visits to the district’s Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement have yielded nothing.
“I have been going to the Ministry of Lands for years and there hasn’t been any joy. My wish is to be allocated about 3 000 hectares where I will get my entire herd together and that way it will be easy to manage.
“It is heart rending to note that there are a number of people who were allocated large tracts of land but are not productive at all. Even the farmer whom I am leasing the farm from is not doing anything as well,” Mr Moyo said.
He said Government should expedite its land audit programme so as to get rid of unproductive farmers and allocate the resource to those who have potential to utilise it.
Government has given in to calls from many quarters for a proper audit of farms acquired under the land redistribution programme.
But it is not clear whether those found to have accumulated multiple properties would actually see them being re-distributed to deserving and needy citizens.
“For one to be a successful cattle farmer, first of all make sure they get quality bulls and heifers. The farmers should regularly treat their animals to guard against various diseases as well as introducing them to survival feeds in the event of drought.
“I hardly have a problem in terms of feeding my cattle at Matopo Research Station because the area was virgin land before I moved in hence there is plenty of grazing land. However, if the drought persists, I sell some of my steers to enable me to buy feed to sustain my herd,” Mr Moyo said.
Apart from rearing cattle, Mr Moyo also has 90 goats and 100 sheep.
