The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
MOST communal farmers in Matabeleland South Province are reluctant to induct their cattle into communal feedlots, fearing that private players running the facilities would fleece them by under-pricing their beasts and demand to be sole buyers.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union Matabeleland South provincial chairperson and Mangwe Farmers Association secretary Retired Major Clement Malaba said most farmers in the province would continue to lose most of their animals due to the effects of drought as they are shunning feedlots owing to “unfavourable” selling conditions.
He said farmers in areas such as Mangwe, Matobo and Gwanda should not be losing cattle due to poverty as these districts have a number of feedlots to nourish some of their animals and get better value after sales.
“Most of the districts in Matabeleland South especially Mangwe should not be losing cattle due to poverty deaths because it has infrastructure but the situation is being worsened by the fact that the private partners at these communal feedlots are fleecing poor farmers as they are not paying them value for their animals hiding under the guise that they are the owners of the infrastructure and the ones that would’ve provided the feed,” said Rtd Maj Malaba said.
Mangwe district has over 30 communal feedlots, while Matobo has over 20 with Gwanda having over 10. He, however, encouraged farmers to induct their cattle in feedlots despite the disparities in pricing so as to save their herds from the persisting drought.
“I am encouraging farmers to bring their animals to the feedlots so as to improve their condition for better returns.
We would like to see a situation whereby cattle flood these facilities to enable Government to take an active role in assisting farmers upon realising the huge numbers at these feedlots as this would be a clear testimony that the situation is really bad,” Rtd Maj Malaba said.
He also said the feedlot concept should not only be active during drought but should be in place throughout the season to enable farmers to get value from selling their cattle.
“Feedlots shouldn’t be used during the drought but they should be used right throughout the year because the condition of an animal coming out of this infrastructure is way much better as opposed to the one coming from the veld and obviously it fetches more at the market,” Rtd Maj Malaba.
He said the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s supplementary stock feed distribution programme did not suit communal farmers as it leaves them on the brink of poverty.
“FAO’s programme excludes commercial farmers and accommodates communal farmers only. Of course we are not disputing this arrangement but it is our view that the communal farmers cannot afford to part with the $7 required to purchase a bag of the feed because they are impoverished and having them to sell some of their cattle doesn’t help the situation.
“At what value are they going to sell their animals at the current situation should they sell 15 of their animals and save five? This doesn’t make any economic sense. In actually fact there should be an institution that guarantees that the farmers are allocated the feed and upon selling the animals that institution gets the expenses it will have incurred,” Rtd Maj Malaba said.
Contrary to Rtd Maj Malaba’s sentiments, Department of Livestock Production and Development director, Mr Bothwell Makodza said farmers should destock some of their animals to save the rest.
“Destocking is actually the extension message we pass on to the farmers. The message is that they should sell some in order to save the rest, especially sale of old cull cows and oxen so as to remain with only breeding stock. Farmers should not wait for the Government. These are their animals and the decision is theirs,” he said.
Mr Makodza said the recent showers received in Matabeleland region slightly improved the availability of pastures.
“The recent showers we received resulted in the reduction in cattle deaths due to hunger. However, there is no need to celebrate as yet. We are still monitoring the situation. Climate change is upon us,” he said.
