Roseline Mutare
Masvingo Province has recorded minimal cattle deaths due to drought, with only 0.32% of the herd succumbing to the climate change induced rainfall patterns.
According to Masvingo Provincial Agritex Director, Nobert Masiiwa, the province had 70 percent of its herd at risk due to water and pasture shortages induced by the El Nino drought.
“Through a raft of measures implemented by stakeholders, the target of keeping drought-induced deaths at 5 percent or less of the provincial herd was achieved, measures included urea treatment of stover, hay baling, and buying hay bales from other provinces by farmers,” said Masiwa.
“We also got a partner in Bikita who supported farmers with commercial feed, about 500 tonnes, and farmers bought commercial survival feed and established boreholes for their cattle, most of the cattle deaths were recorded in Chiredzi and Mwenezi, the province’s drier districts,” he added.
Masiwa attributed the success in minimizing cattle deaths to the collaborative efforts of stakeholders in mitigating the effects of drought on livestock.
He also added that the government provided urea and training for farmers, while the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) helped by establishing ward-based drought mitigation centers.
Farmers were also encouraged to take advantage of the Presidential Silage and Pastures Program, which provides inputs for establishing silage and pastures.
Masiwa urged farmers to take proactive measures to ensure they build water troughs at community water points and grow pastures for their livestock.
“As farmers’ value and plan for their crops, they should take it as a normal routine to value and plan for their livestock feeds and diseases management, taking farming as a business,” he added.
This year’s drought was severe and had threatened to wipe out the province’s cattle herd.
In Chivi district the situation is till dire with some cattle walking 5km to the nearest drinking point especially from Dasva villages to Huruva Dam in Chivi North which is the only source of drinking water in the 20km radius area.
Edmore Chikwidza from a villager from the west side of the dam said they take turns to drive the cattle to the drinking point and some of them fail to make it forcing them to ferry the water to the cattle.
The recent rains that pounded the district have come a little bit late but they are welcome and will go a long way in preventing the death of draught power in the rural areas.
