LET US STOP BEING SELFISH

Saturday, 10 March 2012 22:53

In a public transport going to Gwanda lately I overheard two gentlemen celebrating  the misfortunes of the people of Matabeleland South. I sat still and cocked my ears as their grand plan unfolded. “Another two weeks without rains, these wilting crops will be completely dry and these guys will be so hungry that they will accept a mere 50kg bag of maizemeal for a steer’’. The other one said, “Maize meal is now cheaper in Zambia, we better make a plan to import as much in order to cash in on this drought.’’ I went back in time, to pick the best proverb to describe this merciless situation, “Kakara kununa kudya kamwe’’, indeed each man for himself, indoda iyazibonela. There is no doubt that the spirit of Cain rules the roost, we need massive casting power to rid ourselves of the evil in our midst. Ideally, I should be talking about price, quality, grades etc, but reality beckons: daylight robbery. I represent the voice of all the Abels in the wilderness who cannot be heard shouting, murder!! murder!! Very little technical issues can be understood during the next 12 months utill the next “harvest’’. People will not be using their heads, but their tummies to make decisions. I call on local leadership to zero in on the impending drought in order to develop mechanisms to stop the marauding profit seekers. They will not stop until they devour the little remains of the peasantry’s asset base. No wonder after a lifetime of hard labour we have empty purses, seemingly content to banquet upon sour goat’s milk in the middle of God’s given treasures. At the onset of the rain season, I questioned the sincerity of Government in issuing seed and fertiliser packs to drier parts of the country instead of giving these farmers heifers, steers, construct dams, restore boreholes and sink some more. People spend precious time tilling unproductive land, when available literature screams no!! Surely, there are educated people in Government who know more than I do. The question is why let people suffer year after year as if it is some form of punishment. Some people even wonder why I wonder. The only way people can sell their livestock well is when they are not under unbearable pressure. That is why farmers are reduced to price takers at the livestock auction markets and abattoirs. There is no bidding but begging. When hungry you need food, when thirsty you need water, so it follows that when you want freedom you need power, indeed as frightening as it may be, ultimate control of our circumstances is all we want. Ironically, power is in the people’s hands and they unconsciously trade it for bondage every time they surrender their animals to unscrupulous buyers. Birds were afraid of owls for a very long time thinking they had horns until the day the truth was uncovered. It is about that time farmers stop playing prodigal and assume their princely role. This is a warning short to my friends in the public transport that their days are numbered. There is a rumbling and mumbling within the farming community signalling the beginning of the end of this daylight robbery. I can predict that very soon farmers will be taking control of the livestock value chain instead of the other way round. Feedback Firstly, thank you for your articles they are informative and educative. An advert appeared in the Sunday News, 5 February 2012, Business section. The cattle ownership scheme is promising members a benefit of cattle per year from as little as $35 a month. My questions are based on the following observations. Simple calculation means that it adds up to $420 per year which I feel is not enough to buy a heifer, yet they are promising two beasts per year. After a period of five years which is the running period of the contract, a member will get 10 cattle. It has no option of a lesser term. The problem with such schemes regardless of the language used, is after a while members start complaining of not getting what they would have been promised at times losing their money altogether. Pyramid schemes that once animated people come to mind, only a few benefitted to woodwink the public to join yet responsible authorities stood aloof as it unfolded. I stand to be corrected, if my observations are misplaced. What’s your view Masuku? I am very happy to see you take time to analyse these adverts, many people have been victims, but I can assure you that I am inviting a bank that is offering a cattle ownership scheme to be part of discussions on 31 March. Be there to ask as many questions and I am sure you will emerge an informed man. I will also be able to tell the truth to fellow Zimbabweans in this column about the cattle ownership scheme. Hi, do you have any material you can spare on cattle rearing/fattening on a commercial scale? Anything; be it on paper or soft copy  — I am currently looking into the feasibility of such a project. — Darlington Siziba. We have Matopos Research Station, a Government institution, 30km along Kezi road. They have done so much work, local and relevant cattle breeding, feed resources and veld management. Their emphasis is on local conditions and local breeds, something you may struggle to get from exotic books. It will be interesting to get it from the horse’s mouth about what they can do. Afternoon, I hope you will be able to assist me with information on fish farming, pond construction, fish feeds, harvesting and marketing. May you refer me to organisations, individuals who can assist. I would like to venture into bream farming but it seems there is no local information. Well, I have managed to get some infor from the net but, I think I also need local information where I can get inputs to make my business venture into reality. — Precious Nyathi, pnyathi@zimra.co.zw. I would like to invite fellow fish farmers, agricultural colleges and extension workers to help Precious realise her dreams of being a fish farmer. My principle has worked well for me, you get what you give; therefore, strive to give more to get more. Be generous with information. FEEDBACK: Email:muhle.masuku@gmail.com or 0712938659.