Zimbabwe farmers adjust to devastating droughts

Beef-cattle.jpg

Beef cattle

from DANAI MWARUMBWA in Harare, Zimbabwe
HARARE, (CAJ News) FARMERS in the arid western Zimbabwe are coming to terms with drought-related cattle deaths, which wiped their only source of income and status of wealth.

The Matabeleland North was among the worst affected regions, with the recurrent dry seasons also reducing livestock productivity and profitability.

A crop and livestock assessment carried out by the government in May 2020 showed that the highest cattle mortality was recorded in the province (Matabeleland North) which increased from 4 percent in 2018/19 to 16 percent for the 2019/20 season.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in 2021 had a multiplier effect on the already fragile food and nutrition situation in the country with the numbers of food insecure households increasing from 4,1 million to 6,7 million when COVID-19 hit.

Thanks to the intervention of some governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), there is a glimmer of hope.

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in Zimbabwe is actively involved in creating partnerships, promoting dry-season supplementary feeding through on farm fodder as well as commercial stock-feeds.

It is also using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to provide farmers with agriculture and advisory services.

With support from the government of Belgium, through the Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA), FAO in partnership with the Zimbabwean government and the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) supported smallholder farmers, with survival stock feed, crop inputs and training on the utilization of these.

Some 1 272 households (of whom 520 were female-headed) received 699.6 tonnes of cattle survival stock feed, benefiting 6 495 cattle.

In addition, the food security and resilience situation of 2 000 households at risk of starvation was improved through the provision of 10 tonnes of sorghum, five tonnes of cowpea seed, 80 tonnes of topdressing fertilizer to 2 000 households as well as training on the utilization of the crop inputs.

“The strength of partnerships, promoting use of locally available materials in supplementary stock feed production and the value of advancing ICT systems have unearthed new opportunities for FAO to be more resource efficient while achieving desired results,” said Patrice Talla, FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Southern Africa.

Zimbabwe is emerging from years of successive droughts blamed on climate change.

Things however are looking up this season after record production of crops, including the staple maize.

Maize harvest for the 2020/2021 cropping season is set to be the highest in the past 37 years at 2,8 million tonnes.

The Famine Early Warning System Network has noted that in the main sentinel markets of the capital Harare, the second city Bulawayo, and the borer town of Mutare, maize grain and meal prices declined by up to 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, from May to June.

“More modest declines were observed in peripheral deficit markets,” FEWS NET stated.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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