WHAT HAS REALLY GONE WRONG?

This article appeared in the Sunday News; Livestock Markets by Muhle M. Masuku WHAT HAS REALLY GONE WRONG? 16/10/11 Addressing farmers at a field day in Nyamandlovu recently, Cde Dzikamayi Mavhaire, ZANU PF secretary for production and labour said, “Traditionally, Matebeleland is good in terms of cattle ranching but just look at your livestock right now, the numbers are dwindling and most of them are in bad shape, let’s jerk up, improve our current means of cattle breeding.” The question is; are we masters of our destiny or just victims of circumstances? Or merely according to Seligman (1991) a depressed lot suffering from paralysis of the will, passive resignation (have given up on life) or motionless apathy (they would not react to anything, as if they have no feelings). Surely, people haven’t just developed unexplained laziness. Mavhaire said “it was disappointing that most people, especially those from the rural areas had this tendency of sitting back and waiting for the government to give them seeds and other farming inputs rather than actively working for self reliance.” Myers (2002) coined such phenomenon learned helplessness, a feeling of hopelessness and resignation learned when a human or animal perceives no control over repeated bad events. Haven’t I cited persistently, this incredible lack of reaction to very important issues as a symptom to a much bigger problem? Giving local farmers a seed and fertiliser pack is not working due to natural calamities, what we need is heifer packs or steer packs. Repeated requests have fallen on deaf ears, therefore citing the dearth of local farming due to laziness or beggar syndrome is simply unfair. Officiating at a field day last week, Umguza District Administrator, Ennety Sithole said “While in most cases farmers have failed in crop farming due to erratic rains, we urge them to try new ways of farming and focus on animal husbandry.” Practicing intensive cattle farming, she said, would enable farmers develop their communities while overcoming poverty. Amen to that. In what resonates with the status quo, Kaplan (1996:10) writes: “The idea of development stands like a ruin in the intellectual landscape…the development epoch is crumbling under the weight of delusion, disappointment, failure and crime, and …the time is right to write its obituary.” Over the years farmers have lost livestock due to recurrent droughts and the economic meltdown and they used divestment of livestock as a coping mechanism. They have been crying incessantly to the government to kick start the national herd rebuilding program. They have gotten only promises. The much awaited Cold Storage Company cattle finance scheme is a definite must for the region. Every farmer in Matebeleland will be watching Finance Minister Biti’s budget with a hawk’s eye. Development practitioners and politicians alike have closed their eyes and ears to the greater evil in the commodity markets. Plenty land, livestock and good techniques will not produce enough profit to sustain livestock production, unless there is a total overhaul of the unruly market systems. I have secretly hoped that some politician will see sense in what I am saying and take it up for inclusion in some party manifesto. I tend to agree with the notion that in terms of policies and programs, many parties are not hugely different and that politics is fought out in an area where histories and identities or ethnic based contests are more important than substantive policy issues. There is general despondency, around the region and a general disillusionment with deepening poverty. This is reinforced by a conscious state policy of “self-disconnection,” that is allowing the poor to disconnect themselves from basic services such as education, electricity, water and health services. At the same time the ‘connected’ are involved in widespread corruption and looting in the public and corporate sector. FEEDBACK; Email me at muhle.masuku@gmail.com or send an sms to 0712 938 659