Zimbabwe has lost close to 16,000 cattle as a result of shortages of grazing pastures and inadequate water a senior government official has said.
Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo said a total of 15,852 cattle died in 2016.
He said this via his official Twitter account about 12 hours ago.
1/2: Number of cattle deaths in Zim due to drought. In 2012/13 there were 17,418 in 2014/15 there were 7,828. And in 2016 there are 15,852!
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) January 26, 2016
2/2: Cattle deaths by Jan 22, 2016 by province: Manicaland: 3,111; Midlands: 1301; Masvingo: 6,566; Mat North: 3,606 & Mat South: 1,268!
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) January 26, 2016
Masvingo province recorded the highest number with 6,566 cattle deaths being recorded dead,Manicalad province recorded 3,606 deaths while Manicaland had 3,111 deaths.
Midlands province recorded 1,301 cattle deaths while Matabeleland South which had the lowest number of deaths deaths recorded a total number of 1,268 as at 22 January 2016.
The cattle deaths recorded in 2016 surpass the 7,828 deaths recorded during the 2014/15 agriculture season by 8,024 deaths.
Efforts to get a comment from Agriculture Minister Joseph Made and his deputy Paddy Zhanda were fruitless as both phones went unanswered.
However Zhanda, who is in charge of livestock was quoted in a Reuters article advising farmers to sell their livestock to avoid losses.
Deputy Minister Zhanda told farmers that they must find solutions to the livestock crisis and not wait for the cash-strapped government to intervene.
By cutting herds, farmers would earn something from their cattle instead of losing them to drought, he said
Photo Credit: Sunday News
