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Thupeyo Muleya  Beitbridge Bureau

LIVESTOCK farmers across the Beitbridge district have raised concern over the delays in the start of the rainy season which has adversely affected the rejuvenation of grazing patterns.

Among other things, livestock production is one of the major sources of livelihood for many community members from the household level.

The pasture situation is so dire that many farmers are relying on supplementary feeding to keep their domestic animals alive.

The country’s normal rainfall pattern typically occurs from October to March but so far the season seems to be altering due to climate change.

It is estimated that Beitbridge has over 180 000 cattle, 250 000 goats, 150 000 sheep and 50 000 donkeys.

A farmer and businessman from Ward 15, Ha Goda area, Mr Beji Muleya said many farmers were struggling to buy stock feeds and even food for their families as the drought took its toll.

“The situation is devastating, it drains your pocket and eventually we will end up with nothing to buy cattle feed. Such a scenario leads to livestock deaths leaving most farmers depressed,” said Mr Muleya.

“We pray for rain because the state of affairs now is strongly affecting food and nutrition security for community members and their domestic animals. You will realise that the little funds people have are now being channelled towards reducing livestock deaths, especially cattle.

“At the same time, I want to encourage fellow livestock farmers to do fodder planting, because as it stands, even if we receive rains it won’t be enough considering the number of cattle we have in the community”.

A senior village head from the Tshapfutshe area in Ward 5, Mr Oscar Managa Singo, said a lot of cattle had died due to starvation.

He said the delays in the start of a normal rainy season were adversely affecting most smallholder livestock farmers.

The traditional leader said diseases were more prevalent now because the cattle were so lean making them susceptible to illness.

“If we don’t receive rain anytime soon, and it eventually does so in December our pastures won’t reach a mature stage before next winter, and if it does not mature our cattle won’t gain much mass. This will affect pastures up to the next rainy season. It’s a chain reaction of disaster loading,” said Mr Singo.

According to Miss Remaketsi Mbedzi of Malala in Ward 6, the situation was bad for most female farmers who were not able to raise enough to buy stock feeds.

Beitbridge West Member Parliament, Cde Thusani Ndou said he had started engaging the agriculture minister, Matabeleland South Minister of State, and Nongovernmental organisations to assist the community in absorbing drought shocks.

He said the situation on the ground was now critical.

“Delayed rains hurt the rejuvenation of grazing lands which naturally affects livestock production. Our situation is desperate. We seriously need these rains,” said Mr Masauso Mawocha, the District Agricultural Officer (DA).

“So far, farmers have started getting stock feed from National Foods through a programme run by First Mutual MicroFinance. We have received 30t to date, and more feed is coming.”

A farmer from Toporo and former Beitbridge district development coordinator, Mrs Kiliboni Mbedzi said most cattle were now in bad shape and in some instances, the farmers had to do pen feeding.

She said it was hard for the farmers to destock considering that most animals were lean and could not fetch good prices on the market.

In some instances, Mrs Mbedzi said the price of stock feeds especially in areas far from urban settlements was unreasonably high and beyond the reach of ordinary villagers.

“We need rain as soon as yesterday to salvage the situation. At the same time, I urge those who can buy stock-feeds to buy stock as much as possible since this rainy season is not looking good at all,” she said.