Story by Courage Bushe
MIDLANDS Province is on high alert to combat veld fires this year, prompting environment authorities to spearhead intense awareness campaigns targeting farmers.
This comes as the country recorded a surge in the hectares of land destroyed by veld fires last year.
Before the fateful 20 August 2024, Mr John Masuku, a cattle rancher located some 20km southwest of Gweru in Somabhula, was head over heels, thinking and imagining how his 14 000 bales of hay would turn his life into gold.
Little did he know that fate had its own decisions, a harsh veld fire engulfed his farm demolishing his three tractors and 14 000 bales of hay.
Still imprinted in his mind, the farmer is still counting losses.
“I think this Indaba is good for the farmers around this area because last year I lost property worth thousands of dollars to veld fire. This is a good platform because once bitten, twice shy,” Mr Masuku said.
Farmers who attended the launch of the Midlands Province fire season are pinning their hopes on increased collaboration and stakeholder participation to curb fire incidences.
“I think there is a need to engage traditional leaders and educate them on the effects of veld fires on the environment, it is unreasonable to lose a forest because of people who are clearing land for farming or people trying to catch mice,” one farmer said.
“I’m happy we learnt a lot here today because this is the best platform where we exchanged notes and ideas as farmers with stakeholders pertaining to the prevention of livestock and other farming equipments,” another farmer said.
The environmental management agency has predicted an increase in veld fires, hence urging farmers to play a crucial role in combating veld incidences.
“We are urging farmers not to use fire in clearing land for farming, so they should use alternative mechanical means like hoes and axes. Once we start a fire, it would be hard to put out. In most cases, these fires cause veld fire and we have observed that these fires claim human lives, cause loss of properties like irrigation pipes, it also disturb the ecosystem function as continuous burning will cause the vegetation not to grow well,” Environmental Management Agency Midlands Province spokesperson, Oswald Ndlovu said.
