GWANDA South villagers have ruled out widespread hunger this year following a good rainy season. Chief Reporter
The villagers who spoke to Southern Eye last Friday said unlike in previous years where they lost cattle in unfair barter deals for maize, this year most households were food-secure after a good harvest.
In recent years, the drought-prone province has seen buyers descending on several districts to buy cattle cheaply.
A businessman, David Moyo — who owns Lumeng Batho Milling Company — said most people had recorded a good harvest.
“This year those people who had developed a habit of ripping off desperate villagers of their cattle are in for a shock,” he said.
“People had an above average harvest with many getting more than one tonne each. In fact, some would be selling their surplus maize this year.”
Moyo said in past years, cunning cattle buyers would flock to the district soon after harvest and entice families to part with their livestock for cheap prices.
A villager, Pretty Ndlovu, said this year’s harvest was beyond their expectations.
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“No one will starve this year. I have more than a tonne and that would see us through to the next farming season,” she said.
“We are not selling the cattle to anyone. It’s an opportunity for us to boost our herd.”
Ndlovu said during lean years, food relief handouts from non-governmental organisations divided communities as they were prone to abuse.
She said people who were left out threatened to bewitch beneficiaries.
“The food handouts tended to have bad effects. They were a source of conflict,” she said.
Successive droughts saw farmers in Matabeleland South selling their livestock cheaply to avoid losing them to starvation.
In 2012, a devastating drought swept through the province and saw a total of 9 272 cattle dying.
The most affected areas were Mangwe District with 5 476 deaths followed by Matobo with 1 232 deaths and Beitbridge with 1 015 deaths.
The least affected was Umzingwane with only 23 head reported dead.
