Desperate Mlambapele villagers forced to sell their livestock at low prices

Unify Dube

Gwanda – Among villagers in Mlambapele, Matabeleland South Province, having a large herd of  cattle used to be a sign of wealth. However, times have changed as possessing livestock no longer guarantees wealth nor income because the prices on the market are tumbling due to villagers’ desperation to sell.

In stark contrast with the happier past, villagers are not finding any joy in cattle rearing mainly because of fluctuations in climate and the subsequent low prices for their livestock. In trying to mitigate the effects of the drought, the villages have been driving their cattle towards the Zimbabwe- Botswana boundary for feeding purposes.

“During the  dry seasons, we relocate our livestock to an area close to the Botswana- Zimbabwe boundary in search of grazing land and water for our cattle,”  said Sizakhele Ndlovu, a villager. 

Ndlovu added that relocating livestock to better grazing land and water was a temporary measure that couldn’t last long, hence the villagers are forced to acquire pen-feeding material despite their difficult economic situation. 
Due to the high maintenance costs needed in taking care of the livestock, farmers are forced to sell their livestock at very low prices causing them to suffer significant losses. They usually sell to those who have access to pen feeding material, who usually take advantage of the farmers’ desperation to feed their cattle.

Because cash is hard to come by in these parts, barter trading has become the de facto trade in most of the transactions. Miss Lazina Nare, a villager, said she recently witnessed a transaction in which, “…one cow was exchanged for 15 bags of pen feeding.”

Speaking to Community Podium, Ward 19 Councilor, Tompson Makhalima took a swipe at farmers who have  accepted and normalised barter trade that has seen them getting ripped off by unscrupulous dealers of pen feeds.

“Barter exchange involving livestock and food is wrong and unfair but villagers continue to entertain the dishonest dealers thereby  making it difficult for me to help them in any way,” he said.

2021 had given villagers a glimmer of hope for their fields and livestock due to plentiful rain. Unfortunately, there has been an outbreak of diseases that villagers profess not to know how to cure nor treat. To compound the situation, there are no  veterinary services in the area.

“We had hoped that 2021 would be a different year but things seem to have gotten worse as our cattle are dying due to blackleg and other diseases that we do not know about,” said Mr. Evans S. Nyathi a farmer and Mlambapele villager.

However, Councillor Makhalima dismissed the farmers’ claims of ignorance as far as the diseases and treatment of their livestock are concerned. He said “Farmers know these diseases and they know the medicines to buy. The problem is just that they want to be provided with medicines for free.”

Because of the challenges associated with cattle rearing, villagers say they are forced to sell their cattle cheaply.

Due to the biting poverty in Mlambapele, a considerable number of children have dropped out of school as their parents can only buy food from livestock proceeds.

“It is better for us to use the little money that we get from selling cattle and goats to buy food to eat than pay school fees and go to school hungry” said Lizwe, a 15 year old boy.
Mlambapele villagers are appealing to the local authorities to intervene and institute price controls in the sales of livestock.

“The council must impose price controls that buyers must adhere to. At the moment we do not have such price controls in place, therefore buyers decide their own price and because we need the money we just sell and remain in poverty’ said Nyathi.