Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development deputy minister, Davis Marapira, has encouraged farmers in the Midlands to pay the US$2 per animal annual tick-borne dipping levy to prevent cattle deaths in the province.
Marapira, who was speaking at the Midlands provincial evaluation meeting on sustainable communal dipping, said the money was needed to fund the maintenance of communal dip tanks and ensure consistent supply of dipping chemicals.
Tick-borne diseases account for up to 20 to 30% of recorded cattle deaths annually with the national herd valued at over US$2 billion under threat from such diseases.
Marapira said challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited access to markets, poor veterinary services and lack of community collaboration among other factors hinder effective cattle production in the country.
Marapira, however, said decentralisation can play a transformative role in addressing hurdles that affect animal disease control and cattle farming.
"By decentralised decision-making, local governments can better understand the unique needs of their communities,” Marapira said.
"This allows for more effective allocation of resources, ensuring that cattle farmers receive the support they require, whether it be through subsidies, veterinary services or training.
"Decentralisation can lead to targeted investments in infrastructure such as roads and markets, which are essential for the transportation of livestock, dairy products and diptanks which are essential for the health of the cattle population."
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He said that decentralisation fosters a sense of ownership among communities and encourages farmers to adopt innovative practices and collaborate in initiatives that boost productivity.
Marapira said in the last eight years tick-borne diseases, the major one being the January disease (Theileriosis), had largely affected cattle production with more than 500 000 cattle dying from the disease.
"This makes disease control with specific focus on tick and tick-borne diseases paramount in our efforts to improve cattle production and productivity and thus improve the livelihoods of the Zimbabwe cattle farmers," he said.
