The Sunday News
THE outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in some parts of Matabeleland South Province in the past weeks needs to be contained.
Media reports indicated that Mbokodo abattoir which is one of the leading abattoirs in Bulawayo has been temporarily closed as the department of veterinary services tries to take action towards preventing the spread of this disease.
This week’s instalment is therefore an invitation to all those who are concerned and have interest in the beef value chain and the economic livelihoods of smallholder rural farmers in this region to come together and fight the spread of the disease.
It is a well-documented fact and reality that people in this part of the country rely on cattle rearing as their form of livelihood.
In other words cattle ranching at whatever level is the major economic driver in this region and hence an infringement on this value chain has a serious and telling effect on the livelihoods of people.
It is therefore imperative and instructive that private players and funding agencies should jump in and help the relevant Government departments in fighting the spread of the disease.
The depth of Government pockets at the moment is a public secret and to expect Government to manage the disease on its own is just but expecting too much.
It has been reported that millions of hard currency are needed to carry out an extensive vaccination programme which is an action aimed at preventing the spread of the disease to the uninfected animals.
Private players and funding agencies can chip in and provide part of the required amount.
Instead of running around in big four by four air-conditioned vehicles doing small gardens that have a peripheral effect on people’s lives, funding agencies and non-governmental organisations can come in big time and address a real challenge affecting people.
Non-governmental organisations have been known to be jump started into action by a crisis and this is one such crisis where they should react and provide support.
The closure of Mbokodo abattoirs obviously provides pressure on the marketing of livestock as this is one of the major buyers.
This means we could continue to have a glut of livestock supply on the market as the other buyers fail to contain the supply of animals from other areas.
This glut has a negative effect of supressing the already subdued prices as laws of supply and demand come into play.
On a more long-term and sustainable manner, the Department of Veterinary Services needs to be energised and reclaim control of animal boundaries and movements.
It is not a secret that this country had extensive veterinary boundaries and control points which the department left to be vandalised under their indifferent watch and the fruits of this vandalism and lukewarm response from the Department of Veterinary Services are now here with us to see.
Left to their devices villagers will always vandalise fences and any such common resource property. It is therefore incumbent upon the authority responsible for the property to provide adequate policing and protection of the property as well as taking stern action against offenders.
Boundary fences simply have to be re-erected and perhaps in recognition of the new hand holding after the land reform.
Those grids whatever the technical term is, need to be re-established to prevent uncontrolled movement of animals. In the past 10 years people have been known to move their herds across districts looking for relief grazing especially in the newly resettled area.
This has to be controlled as well as the disease can easily be spread across districts and provinces. The whole of Matabeleland North Province has only two veterinary check points that are invariably manned by tired personnel more interested in extorting money from grandmothers carrying chickens for their grandchildren than providing real disease control.
Let’s revitalise this important department for the sack of protecting the beef value chain.
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