Even cattle, donkeys and goats have joined the brick by brick drive Traditionally, Matabeleland South is known as the livestock province. However, over the past few years the province has lost thousands of livestock due to “poverty deaths”, leaving many families struggling to survive. At one point, the province lost 35,000 animals, leaving villagers in panic mode. However, as our Editor-in-Chief Munyaradzi Huni reports, the livestock province is on the rebound, thanks to the “Command Livestock” programme initiated by the Second Republic.
The acting provincial director for the Agriculture and Rural Development Services in Matabeleland South, Mkhun[1]julelwa Ndlovu – popularly known as MK – is a happy man who enjoys his job. From the onset, he makes it clear that he has vast knowledge about the province and so implementing govern[1]ment programmes is like a walk in the park for him.
“I joined the Ministry of Agriculture around 1993 as an extension officer in Beitbridge. Now, as the acting director, one of my responsibilities is to monitor the economic development programmes and projects within Matabeleland South Province. Implementing government programmes and projects is not a challenge for me because I fully understand where we are coming from and where we are going,” says the ever-jovial MK.
Livestock production: The picture is looking very good
“Matabeleland South is a very unique province,” says MK. “We engage in all kinds of activities. You will see farmers doing livestock – both dairy and beef – goats and sheep. You will also see some farmers doing poultry. On the other hand, you will see farmers into cropping, maize, traditional grains, horticulture and also citrus plantations.
“We also have some conflicting activities such as mining. I say conflicting because mining leads to land degradation. Even though mining is a cash cow, it comes with a heavy cost to the environment. Worse still, most of the artisanal miners lack skills and education on how to conduct their business in an environmentally-friendly manner. They leave behind lots of pits as well as dangerous chemicals that they use to purify their gold,” says MK, adding: “In terms of livestock, under the New Dispensation, the first port of call was the introduction of what we call Command Livestock. The government realised that the number of farmers who owned livestock in the province was very small. Yes, in global statistical terms, we owned a lot of livestock but in terms of individual ownership, the spread was very low.
“The government came in and we distributed close to 10 000 heifers to farming households in the province. The heifers were distributed under a long-term loan scheme. We were giving three heifers to communal farmers. In some instances, we gave about five heifers to communal farmers who demonstrated the potential to increase their livestock.
“As for A2 and A1 farmers with adequate land for grazing, we distributed five up to 10 heifers. This increased the ownership of livestock in the province and reduced poverty deaths. Chiefs were given bulls as the Second Republic moved in to boost livestock production in the province. Indeed, no one and no place is being left behind in terms of development.
“In terms of dairy, the northern part of the province is doing very well because it enjoys good rains. We have Umzingwane District where we have the out-grower programme. Last season, dairy farmers in this district were supported with silage from the Presidential Inputs Support Programme. We saw farmers increasing milk deliveries because there is now a milk processing centre at Mawabeni.
“The silage from the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme proved to be a game-changer. We are grateful because the government realised the need to capacitate the dairy farmers. We have Wards 5, 13 and 20 in Umzingwane District that are doing very well in terms of small dairy farming. Some farmers have ventured into fodder production to support the dairy farmers. The picture is looking very good. Some farmers in Bulilima District are also starting their own dairy projects, taking a cue from their Umzingwane counterparts. We are also supporting these farmers through the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme.”
Goat and poultry production picking up very well
According to MK, even goat production is picking up in the province. He explains: “As for goats, our province is divided into regions. We have the northern side which is Region Four. In this region goats don’t really do well. Goats survive well in the southern region because they thrive in very hot areas with erratic rains. The southern region comprises areas like Beitbridge, which have the highest number of goats in the province. There is also Gwanda, the southern part, with the best quality in terms of goat production. Then there is Matobo South and Mangwe South, where you get the best breeds. “Farmers in these areas are doing very well in terms of goat production. Whenever there is a drought, farmers sell their goats as a survival strategy. The goats sell from as little as US$30 up to about US$100. Goats in these areas also treated as a source of petty cash. Women can sell the goats to get money to buy basic household needs. Above all, there is no need to seek hubby’s per
mission before slaughtering a goat. “On poultry, we are seeing quite a number of public-private partnerships in the province. For example, there is the out-grower broiler programme in Wards 15, 16, 17, 18 and 23 Matobo District. A company called Sondelani came in to partner with farmers. Farm[1]ers are given inputs in terms of chIcks and feed. This project is doing very well and farmers are happy.
“If you go to these districts, you will see a number of houses with water tanks to harvest water from the roof[1]tops because that area has challenges in terms of underground water. Also in these districts, you will see satellite television dishes on rooftops. These farmers also use WhatsApp for knowledge sharing. The assets that these farmers have clearly show that they are doing very well. “In addition, we launched one of the poultry projects in Bulilima District which is doing very well even though at the beginning we had a few challenges. As you may know, Bulilima had been neglected for some time but the Second Republic has moved in to ensure that no one and no place is left behind. “Farmers in the area are excited because the government is delivering on its promises. The government gave out about 25 000 chicks during the first launch of the poultry project in Bulilima. In Insiza, we distributed 21 000 chicks, in Gwanda about 14 000 chicks and Beitbridge about 10 000 chicks. We also launched a vibrant goat programme in Beitbridge which will be replicated in other districts, wards and villages,” explains MK.
Even poverty deaths have gone down
“In terms of cattle, farmers in these wards are also doing very well. This season we recorded almost zero poverty deaths after we heeded advice by the Second Republic to harvest as much as we could in terms of biomass. When I say poverty death, I mean that an animal dies not from the customary livestock diseases, but from nutrition-related issues like lack of water or nourishment. At one point, we lost about 35 000 animals in one season due to poverty deaths. “As a province we listened to the Second Republic and harnessed a lot of biomass to reduce the number of poverty deaths of our animals. For ex[1]ample, in Shangani, we engaged some private players to harvest hay which we sent to those areas in need. “Matobo Research Station also chipped in to feed their cattle and support other farmers. Government came up with a programme to support farmers in terms of producing hay bales and farmers responded very positively. The hay bales helped a lot during the dry season.
“The only big challenge now is the lack of a viable market system. Cattle are now the main source of livelihood in some of these districts. A farmer can get about US$600 for a beast depending on the size and grade. But there is no standard price for our cattle and many farmers are being ripped off by some unscrupulous buyers. I am happy that the Ministry of Agriculture is working on modalities to formalise the marketing of the cattle. We have already started this exercise in Insiza Ward 21 and the farmers were happy when they received very good prices for their cattle.
“The farmers should not struggle. They should be assisted in terms of inputs and so on but they were struggling. They had no facility to buy commercial feeds. This made their lives very difficult. The people marketing their cattle were not considering the plight of the farmers. They were not ploughing back to capacitate the farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture has come in to protect the farmers,” says MK.
Irrigation challenges and the way forward
The acting director adds that Matabeleland South has challenges in terms of irrigation infrastructure but expresses hope that the dams being constructed will alleviate the challenges. “Matabeleland South has a big challenge in terms of irrigation infrastructure. The Second Republic is in the process of rehabilitating quite a number of irrigation schemes in the province. We were operating at 400 hectares as a province in terms of land under irrigation, but now thanks to efforts by the Second Republic we are at 900 hectares. Our target is that next season, we will be over 1,000 hectares. By the end of 2023, we are hoping to exceed 4,000 hectares.
“We hope that Thuli-Manyange Dam will be completed soon because there are quite a number of irrigation schemes that will benefit from it. About 3,000 hectares can be put under irrigation using water from the dam. Against all odds, the Second Republic is doing everything in its power to complete the construction of Thuli-Manyange Dam.
“We are happy that as a province we are starting to contribute towards the country’s food security. For example, in Gwanda, Mutyabezi Irrigation Scheme delivered about 50 tonnes of wheat to the Grain Marketing Board. This is a very encouraging start. We are currently rehabilitating Mhakwe Irrigation Scheme which is about 32 kilometres from Gwanda. We hope that by the end of December 2022, we will see some crops on that scheme.
“Guyu Irrigation Scheme, which has about 85 hectares, is now operational. Sebasa Irrigation Scheme produced first grade wheat this season. They were using solar power to irrigate their land, thereby reducing electricity costs. Last year, they grossed about 1.5 million rands, no mean feat. These are the fruits of the Second Republic in terms of irrigation acceleration and development,” says MK.
Nutrition gardens the way to go
In terms of fighting hunger, MK says: “There are a number of nutrition gar[1]dens in the province that are solar powered. We are establishing one-hectare nutrition gardens in every district. Gwanda, Matobo North, Insiza, Umzingwane and Beitbridge have the highest number in terms of the nutrition gardens.
“We have seven districts in Matabeleland South but in terms of horticultural activities, Gwanda, Umzingwane, Matobo North, Insiza and Beitbridge are the most active districts. For example, in Beitbridge, we are producing paprika. There are a number of citrus out-grower programmes in the province as well. Farmers have embraced Vision 2030 wholeheartedly. “In Matabeleland South, we have about 145 wards. Our target is to establish one nutrition garden per ward. We launched one nutrition garden in Mangwe District, Ward 17 in Makorokoro area at Jinjika Village. Farmers working at this garden are enjoying themselves. Recently, they sent a request to my office for a computer to keep their records in a more secure way.
“We are planning to go to Jinjika Village to train some of the farmers in basic computer skills. The majority of the beneficiaries of this garden are youths and we are excited that they are showing a keen interest in developing their area and ultimately their country. Before setting up this garden at Jinjika Village, there was no network connectivity but all that has changed now, thanks to the Second Republic. All networks are now operational in the area and everyone is smiling. Farmers near- “Matabeleland South is on the rebound and I can assure you that this province will soon become the pride of the Second Republic.” BRICK BY BRICK | JANUARY 2023 105 by this garden are now replicating this concept at their homesteads. “Can you imagine before establishing this garden, people in the Jinjika area were getting their tomatoes in Bulawayo? Now it’s the other way around. Bulawayo folk are now coming to buy tomatoes from Jinjika Village. “If we establish nutrition gardens across the country, in no time we will transform this whole country into a greenbelt. The potential is there so is the zeal among the people.
“There are also two fish ponds at Jinjika Village. Very soon we are expecting the Fisheries Department from the Ministry of Agriculture to visit us and assess the fish ponds. The fish in the ponds are ready for harvesting. In Insiza Ward 13, we have a farmer who has started her own fish project by constructing fish ponds at her homestead.
“In terms of crop production, quite a number of farmers in the province have embraced Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme that was introduced by the Second Republic. Many chiefs in the province are leading by example in terms of implementing Pfumvudza/ Intwasa in crop production. In this respect, Chiefs Malaba and Bango de[1]serve special mention.”
Youths embracing government programmes
MK concludes: “What is making me very happy is that youths are actively participating in all government programmes. However, if you go to areas around Gwanda, Umzingwane and Insiza, where gold panning is rife, youths have turned their backs on anything to do with agriculture. But if you go to other districts, like at Jinjika Village, youths are actually at the forefront embracing government-initiated projects. About 70 percent of the beneficiaries of that project at Jinjika Village are youths. “There are some areas that are close to the border with South Africa, like TopPick Investment Farm that employs over 200 youths. Even though the farm is just a stone’s throw away from the border, the youths are not tempted to cross into South Africa because they are getting good money there. They will tell you that they prefer working in Zimbabwe because they are free and safe in this country. “Matabeleland South is on the re[1]bound and I can assure you that this province will soon become the pride of the Second Republic. Believe me, I know where we are coming from and I definitely know where we are going.” Optimism at its best!
