Farmers fight cattle depopulation
FRANCISTOWN: Farmers in the Zone 6b have proposed several measures they believe the government should opt for instead of depopulating cattle in the area.
One of the proposals, which is in the form of a document, is supported by over 40 farmers in the zone. The zone is made up of villages such as Senyawe, Tsamaya, Siviya and Tshesebe among others. The government recently took a decision to depopulate cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals in the area following the outbreak of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). More than 10,000 cattle will be slaughtered.
Yesterday, one of the farmers, Simon Morris said the proposal will be taken to the office of the District Commissioner (DC) in the North East District. “Our intension is that by Wednesday when President Mokgweetsi Masisi visits the zone, our proposal would have reached the DC’s office,” he said.
Farmers are also expected to directly express their position during their meeting with President Masisi.
Through the proposal farmers have recommended that instead of depopulating the zone, the government should vaccinate cattle in the area twice per year.
“Veterinary officials should also be visible in the area all the time and cattle should not be allowed out of the zone to avoid the spread of the disease to other zones (until the situation is under control). Farmers in the zone should, however, be allowed to sell cattle within the zone,” reads part of the proposal.
Other elements of the proposals from the farmers is that government should meticulously redo the Zone 6b cordon fence. Farmers posited that this was done in some zones in the country when they had FMD. They indicated that the areas are now green zones and cattle in those areas were never culled.
Farmers also want the government to thoroughly redo the border fence with Zimbabwe. The other recommendation that the government should consider is using spikes in a bid to control the movement of animals.
Lack of manpower to monitor the border fence has in the past been cited as the main reason why people and animals easily cross the border between Zimbabwe and Botswana. Additionally, the constant FMD outbreak in the zone has often been attributed to the uncontrolled movement of people and animals in the area. Now, farmers want the government to hire more people who will monitor and maintain the fence.
“Government should also grade the road regularly to for ease of patrol by security organs and veterinary officers as well as intensify supervision of those hired to police the border,” recommended the farmers.
Yet another major suggestion made by farmers is that an FMD committee made of government officials and farmers in Zone (6b) should be established. They want all villages in the zone to have representation in the committee. The mandate of the committee will be to ensure that FMD prevention protocols are observed to prevent the constant outbreak of the disease in the zone.
Meanwhile, in another letter that will accompany their proposal, farmers have complained that the compensation that the government intends to offer them for culling their animals is not satisfactory. Government is offering P600 per goat and P2,400 per cattle as compensation. In the event that government proceeds with plans to cull their animals, farmers want the compensation price to be upgraded.
“Well-established farmers in our Zone price weaners at around P36 to P43 per kilogramme. This justifies our request to consider increasing the compensation monies to around P4,500 to P5,000,” reads parts of the letter.