Livestockpolicymust empower farmers
found and put in place for producers especially livestock farmers to be able to participate in determining prices of their animals. The price cannot simply be handed down and that is accepted in the name of pseudo market forces.
The question therefore is how can the livestock production policy strengthen statutory bodies such as the Agricultural Marketing Authority and perhaps farmers’ unions such that they can give power back to the farmers in price determination for their produce?
On a slightly different but equally pertinent issue, it looks like farmers are beginning to witness and feel the negative side of technology use. I have witnessed in some districts private buyers buying animals in the absence of critical Government departments such as the veterinary service and the local authority.
These buyers then simply phone the Veterinary Department to state the number of animals they bought and send money through mobile money transfers and the movement permit is sent to them via WhatsApp. While this can be viewed as a step towards improving the ease of doing business but it should not be lost why such departments as the Veterinary Department were brought into the process of buying and selling livestock.
It was primarily to inspect for diseases in the animals that are being sold. This is even more relevant now because of the Foot and Mouth disease. Such an inspection cannot be done via WhatsApp and therefore technology cannot be allowed to substitute due diligence as the consequences can be disastrous and far reaching. In fact the police should help by prohibiting sales which are not attended by the Veterinary Department and local authorities.
The police can simply refuse to clear animals which are sold in the absence of such critical Government departments. It is statutory for local authorities to collect levies on animals being sold in their districts and the police cannot be seen to be facilitating evasion of taxes by the private buyers. Uyabonga umntakaMaKhumalo.
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