Story by Providence Maraneli
THE Government has taken its fight against the El Nino-induced drought to Bulilima District, with the Ndiweni community receiving hay bales and silage to save their livestock under the Presidential Stock Feed Programme.
For villagers like Gogo Bettie Ndebele, the thought of losing her treasured herd of 13 cattle to drought strikes even deeper.
However, there is a silver lining after the government has started distributing hay bales and silage under the Presidential Stock Feed Programme and Gogo Ndebele is the first on the list of beneficiaries.
“I was so desperate, I have a herd of 13 cattle and as a family, we depend on it for everything. I am so grateful that we got the much-needed help.
“We also have a solarised borehole in the ward and we think this will go a long way in helping us. Cattle is our source of income and we had lost hope, but thank God President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government have intervened.”
The local leadership believes the intervention has come at an opportune time.
“We are so grateful because we got a solarised borehole. Now we have the feed, it means we are going to save our head, we thank the President,” said Ward 21 Councilor, Dolly Dube.
The Presidential Stock Feed Programme is part of a cocktail of drought mitigation measures being implemented by the government to cushion communities.
“With this programme, we are targeting productive livestock, and remember this is part of measures being put in to fight the drought. We have silage and hay bales and we are giving two kilogrammes per animal per day for the next 20 days in anticipation of receiving another consignment,” said Provincial livestock officer, Mr Hatityi Muchemwa.
Drought mitigation centres are being established in all Wards across the country, with feed and water troughs, a village business unit and a cattle sale being part of the project.
