Farmers attack govt

SHINGIRAI MADONDO
Correspondent | Thursday May 16, 2013 00:00

 

FRANCISTOWN: Communal farmers in the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) ravaged Zone 6 in the north eastern part of the country are accusing government of deliberately relegating them into the jaws of abject poverty.Responding to the government's decision to kill an estimated 30,000 small stock (sheep and goats) in their area during a leadership and stakeholders' workshop on the FMD situation in Zone 6 here early this week, communal farmers said they are being condemned to poverty. They charged that government is subjecting them to a life of struggle instead of eradicating poverty among its citizenry.

'What is happening in our area is reminiscent of what transpired to the people of the Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve (CKGR),' said Obert Sechele, the chairperson of the Village Development Committee (VDC) of the border village of Jackalas I.  'Instead of eradicating poverty in the Tati East constituency (in which Zone 6 area falls under), the government is actually worsening the situation on the ground,' said an exasperated Sechele during the question and answer session.Tshesebe VDC chairperson, Daniel Moipolai said they came to the workshop with the anticipation of being advised about the progress in the restocking of their area with cattle.

'We are greatly worried about the development,' said an angry Moipolai. He charged that the government is geared at ensuring that communal farmers are reduced to paupers.Moipolai further said communal farmers have been eking out a living through cattle ranching and rearing small stock.' After killing the cattle in 2011, communal farmers in Zone 6 have been surviving through trading in small stock. With this (depopulation of small stock), we are a forsaken. The government has neglected us,' he said.

Communal farmers further complained that government does not promptly address issues which affect them. It has been three years waiting for government to restock cattle in Zone 6 they charged. 'Some communal farmers have benefited from the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) .But we the FMD affected farmers have not been benefiting. In response, the Minister of Agriculture Christiaan De Graaff asserted that he understands the communal farmers' grievances. He, however, noted that farmers cannot trade in sick animals. He admitted that killing all affected animals in the area had been a difficult decision to make. De Graaff implored communal farmers to cooperate with government to ensure total eradication of the disease.