Starving Villagers Swap Livestock To Stay Afloat

[Guest guest]

 

 

 

 

Starving Villagers Swap Livestock To Stay Afloat

Zim StandardLocalSaturday, 05 July 2008 18:03Faced with starvation after a dismal harvest, some small-scale farmers in the Midlands region are exchanging their cattle for maize, sparking fears there will be a crisis of draught power for the next farming season.Farmer Takudzwa Muringisi said that during a good season, he harvests an average of 15 tonnes of maize at his farm, situated in Vungu in Lower Gweru.Muringisi, an award-winning farmer who has hosted numerous field days at his homestead said during this time of the year his homestead should be surrounded by stacks of maize stalks, to feed his cattle. This year, however, the fields are bare - testimony to the past season's failure.A distraught Muringisi says the incessant rains in December and January made it impossible to plant. When the downpours eventually stopped in February they went for good, resulting in the few plants he had withering.Muringisi says he counts himself among the lucky few who still have maize surplus carried over from the previous season. This is what his family survives on.However, he is fretful as the supplies are running out fast. Muringisi acknowledges he is clueless about how he is going to provide for his family until the next farming season.Although he has money with which to buy the grain or maize-meal, which is now being commonly referred to as "gold" or "gunpowder" respectively in the Midlands province, it's not readily available. He is considering swapping some of his cattle for the staple grain, adding he has heard certain individuals are eager "to do such a deal".In rural Shurugwi, desperate farmers have already exchanged their cattle for maize.Taking advantage of the situation, those who have maize are swapping 10 bags of maize (the equivalent of one tonne) for a single beast. Those compelled to enter into the deal say they realise it is not a bargain, but point out the alternative would be starvation. At the moment, focus is on the need to feed their families.Talkmore Mazhande from Nhema village in Shurugwi, who only managed to get one bucket of maize from his garden, said so far he has exchanged two beasts for 20 bags of maize and is likely to exchange more."While I know and believe that cattle are assets worth much more, I have been forced into the arrangement because I have no maize to feed my family with and I cannot watch them dying of hunger," Mazhande bared his heart."Those that have the grain do not want to sell for money. But who can blame them considering our useless currency? They would rather have cattle than the ever deteriorating dollar."Mazhande, who has a small herd of cattle, is worried the prolonged food shortages may force many like him to dispose of most of their cattle. But this would mean they will have no draught power when the next farming season begins.Maize shortages are also forcing residents of districts including Chirumhanzu and Chiundura to travel long distances, mostly on foot, in search of grain.In Chirumhanzu, the situation is worse. Even during good seasons, many residents record poor harvests because of the area's poor soils.As a result, Chirumhanzu villagers have often relied on supplementary relief food from humanitarian organisations. This is why groups like CARE and Oxfam have consistently implemented relief efforts in the areas.But government has now pulled the plug on their programmes by banning all field operations, leaving locals in dire straits.Sources said the situation has become so extreme, with villagers eating roots, fruits and leaves in an attempt to survive. Most villagers in most parts of the Midlands region have resorted to a wild fruit known as, chakata/hacha . Some of the villagers from Shurugwi told this reporter that besides eating the fruit they also pound it to produce a powder which is then used to make sadza (pap) while some of the more innovative ones are actually using the powder from the fruit for baking.The United Nations Country Team recently announced that about four million Zimbabweans need food aid. It also called on Harare to immediately lift the ban, in order to enable NGOs to assist those in need.By Rutendo Mawere