Story by Grace Sibanda
LIVESTOCK farmers in Matabeleland South province continue to lose their cattle to the current Elnino-induced drought that has seen the country receiving erratic rains.
The effects of the Elnino-induced drought are dealing a huge blow on livestock farmers in Matabeleland South Province, with Bulilima district being the hardest hit.
Despite some rains being received this week in some parts of the country, the situation remains dire.
“The dams here have dried up, our cattle have nowhere to drink, in as much as we have a borehole it’s the only one and not sustainable. Something has to be done quickly,” said a farmer.
Another said, “Our cattle are either getting stuck in the mud or they have no water to drink as you can see how dry the dam is, as stakeholders we are happy that the government is going to do something for us and our cattle.”
Speaking at a tour of dam facilities in Bulilima this Thursday, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka said the government is working flat out to address the situation.
“This tour is part of an assessment of mostly affected areas in Matabeleland South such as Bulilima, Gwanda, part of Beitbridge and Matobo. We are here to assess the situation on the ground so that we can come up with appropriate intervention measures. So long, we are working towards drilling boreholes so that there is more water in these affected areas.”
The Meteorological Services Department has predicted a normal to below normal rainfall this summer cropping season.
