Sithembile Bofu (59), a farmer from Chisikaurayi village located in Chimanimani district in Manicaland province says farmers in her community have been devastated by the El-Nino induced drought during the 2023/2024 farming season owing to unsustainable practices.
Sithembile says due to lack of preparedness, reluctance in adopting agroecology and holistic management, some farmers especially those who were not implementing Holistic Land and Livestock Management (HLLM) practices, have seen close to 70% of their livestock succumbing to drought related deaths.
“Some farmers, particularly those not implementing holistic management this season, have lost a lot of cattle and other livestock owing to the dire situation caused by the drought. In my village, we have benefitted from HLLM concepts that we have implemented which cushioned our livestock from severe starvation,” she says
Sithembile says agroecology is the only sustainable way to protect farmers from the effects of climate change.
“Some farmers have lost their livelihoods because they were either ill prepared or reluctant to implement HLLM. Agroecology is a more sustainable way to manage scarce resources and avoid the damaging impacts of the drought. Farmers like myself who have been implementing HLLM have not been affected as much as those not doing HLLM,” she says.
In worst affected areas of Chimanimani, PELUM Zimbabwe in collaboration with its member, Towards Sustainable use of Resources Organisation (TSURO) Trust have had to step in to provide silage and supplementary feed for cattle.
Thulani Maphosa (32) is a programme officer working with TSURO Trust. Thulani says the El Niño induced drought exposed the communities to a lot of devastation.
“Because of the drought, we are facing acute shortage of pasture land and water points for livestock. The rangelands no longer have grass for cattle to feed on, and this is affecting farmers,” says Thulani.
Thulani says through coordination efforts by PELUM Zimbabwe and its strategic partners, there has been distribution of relief feed for cattle in the most affected areas where farmers are getting relief feed for livestock which are competing for grazing space.
“We have been able to deliver about 400 bales of relief feed to small-scale farmers who have been struggling and some have even lost a significant number of their livestock. We are looking forward to assisting more farmers in livestock rescue and mitigation through our networks,” he adds.
Honest Mudimba (29) a Monitoring and Evaluation officer working with PELUM Zimbabwe member, Zubo Trust in Binga, Matabeleland North, says the drought this year is a wakeup call for farmers to start implementing Holistic Management and fully adopt agroecology as a measure to absorb the shocks posed by drought.
“Agroecology is the only way out for farmers to start realising maximum utilisation of resources in a sustainable way. This drought season has shown us the sustainability of Holistic Management as witnessed by the success of agroecology mechanisms. In some areas in Binga, whole cattle herds have been wiped out by the drought but those who were following grazing patterns and using landscape regeneration techniques have been less affected. This is testament to the benefits of agroecology,” he says.
The drought’s effects are not just felt on the farms; they have ripple effects throughout the community. As farmers lose their cattle, they face financial ruin, leading to food insecurity and economic instability in the region.
In the face of these challenges, it is crucial that farmers receive support, including access to drought-resistant feed, water-saving technologies, and capacity-building on sustainable livestock management. Without timely intervention, the livelihoods of many smallholder farmers remain at risk.
