The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka Sunday News Reporter
FARMERS in the drought prone southern region are holding on to their livestock, particularly cattle, ignoring calls by Government to destock and avoid total losses due to drought. Last year, Government called on farmers in drought prone areas to consider selling part of their livestock to avoid losses as telltale signs of drought began to show in most parts of the country.
Erratic rainfall received in most parts of the country, particularly in the southern region, since the start of the rainy season saw many crops failing as well as continued diminishing of pastures, putting both people and their livestock at risk of starvation.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister in charge of Livestock, Cde Paddy Zhanda said considering the failed crops and looming food shortages in the provinces — farmers needed to start selling their cattle and buy food, rather than wait for their cattle to die of starvation and then wait for Government to give them food aid.
However, a survey conducted by Sunday News in some areas in the southern region showed that a number of farmers had not heeded Government’s destocking call, preferring to hold on to their livestock despite facing drought. The southern region covers provinces such as Midlands, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South and Masvingo.
The few that are selling cattle, albeit at ridiculously low prices, are doing so to raise school fees for their children.
Mr John Mabuda of Chirumanzu communal lands in the Midlands Province said he was prepared to take a gamble and keep his herd intact optimistic the rains would come as selling his cattle would live him poorer.
“I can’t sell four of five of my cattle at once to buy stockfeed for the remaining cattle. What then happens if the rains come? As you can see it’s promising to rain so I would rather hold on to my cattle and see what happens. This is the worst rainy season we have had so I’m sure we will survive until the next rain season,” he said.
Another villager from Mberengwa communal lands Mr Freedom Maphosa of Tichagwa Village under Chief Mataruse said he could not sell his cattle as they were a symbol of his wealth and pride.
“Why should I sell my cattle, to save them from drought? Never. I can’t sell my symbol of wealth. What will be left of me if I do that? We will find other means of making sure that our animals survive. Selling them is not an option,” he vowed.
Mr Andrew Sinampande from Kabuba Village in Binga said they will never destock because there was nowhere they will get draught power for the next farming season.
“If we destock who will restock for us? We can’t even sell the cattle because we might use the money or find cattle expensive by the time we want to restock. So the issues of destocking is outside our vocabulary and I doubt there is going to be anyone in this area who is going to heed that call,” said Mr Sinampande.
When Government made the call to farmers to destock, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) chairperson for Matabeleland North Province Mr Winston Babbage welcomed the idea urging 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 a 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,” he said.
However, livestock specialist, Mrs Simangaliphi Ngwabi said as much as farmers needed to raise money to buy stock feed for their cattle, it was too late now for farmers to start destocking.
She said most cattle in drought prone areas were in a bad state and would not attract lucrative prices on the market if farmers were to sell them.
“The farmers will lose out more if they sell their cattle now. Cattle in most areas are in bad condition and won’t attract the right prices on the market. You should consider that the biggest cattle buyers are abattoirs who buy primarily for slaughter. So with the condition of most cattle now selling them will be literally throwing them to the dogs,” she said.
An estimated 7 000 cattle have died so far in the southern region owing to acute water and pasture shortages.
