mbulelo smpofu
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
AMID the El Nino-induced drought and its effects on people and livestock, farmers in Matobo District have continued to count their losses as their cattle have turned to eating plastics, which is proving more deadly with one farmer losing 11 beasts in a very short space of time.
The situation has become so dire that farmers have started to organise themselves and doing clean-up campaigns targeting all plastic material in and around their community.
Plastic ingestion affects livestock such as cattle, donkeys and goats.
A recent visit by the Sunday News to the Tshipisani and Hlababomvu villages in the Matobo District of Matabeleland South Province revealed that farmers are faced with a tragic situation where their livestock are dying and the deaths are attributed to plastic ingestion.
Mr Abraham Moyo has experienced the painful consequences first-hand, reporting the loss of 11 cattle and three donkeys since October.
“No word can describe the pain that we as farmers are feeling. With a herd of 23 cattle, I’m left with 12 after having lost 11 to plastic ingestion,” he said.
“Had it been the drought, that is a natural phenomenon we are facing, but after the cattle die, when you skin them and open their stomachs you find they are full of plastic material.”
Livestock are particularly drawn to plastic due to their curious feeding habits, often nibbling on various objects in their surroundings.
As a proactive response, Mr Moyo and other villagers have taken up a clean-up campaign at St Joseph’s Business Centre where they suspect a vast amount of plastic waste accumulates due to the numerous supermarkets and businesses present.
With limited grazing land due to drought, livestock have taken to foraging near the centre, increasing their chances of consuming harmful plastics.
Mrs Chipo Njini Ndlovu, another affected farmer from Hlababomvu Village shared her own tragic experience.
“I lost five heifers that were in the final weeks of pregnancy due to plastic ingestion. This is as good as having lost 10 cows because the calves were going to be an addition to my herd.”
She added, “These plastics are also affecting our donkeys. As the rainy season has started, we have lost most of our draught animal power for ploughing, planting and weeding and some of us are in our old age, we can no longer dig holes under intwasa. We need the assistance of draught power.”
Mrs Ndlovu continues to count her losses, with two more cows in critical condition from suspected plastic ingestion. Recently, she discovered a cow that had died with a plastic tube lodged in its mouth.
Highlighting the broader environmental impact, she remarked, “Plastic pollution is not only affecting our livestock but also greatly contributing to climate change and negatively affecting the environment.”
She emphasised the need for public education on the importance of cleaning up plastic waste.
Village Head Mr Walter Obed Mposi of Bidi Village expressed commitment to making the community’s clean-up initiative a regular activity, aligning it with the National Clean-up Programme launched by President Mnangagwa in December 2018.
“This is a great community initiative that we have started and we will continue with it on every last Wednesday of the month,” he said, further encouraging proper disposal methods to reduce littering.
Agritex extension officer for Ward 9, Mr Mxotshwa Moyo provided alarming estimates, stating, “In a village with 200 households, each household is losing close to five livestock per month. From September to November, many people lost their animals and post-mortems revealed it was more of plastics in their stomachs.”
The situation not only threatens the livelihood of farmers but impacts negatively on food security in the community, particularly among the elderly who rely on their livestock for farming.
Father Innocent Ndlovu, the Parish Priest of St Joseph’s Mission emphasised the community’s responsibility to maintain a clean environment.
“By cleaning up, we are addressing one of the driving factors behind livestock deaths in our areas. We have seen farmers suffering the most because of this,” he said, urging continued community engagement in the initiative.
The Environmental Health Technician (EHT) at St Joseph’s Mission Hospital, Mr Vistor Mufaramenhise reiterated the importance of cleanliness for both human and animal welfare.
He noted that consistent efforts to reduce littering and maintain a clean environment can significantly benefit the community. He pulled his weight in support of the ongoing clean-up initiative.
With the St Joseph’s Business Centre at the heart of this environmental crisis, local farmers — accompanied by the church, health department and local schools — are banding together in a concerted effort to combat plastic pollution and protect their livelihoods as well as that of their livestock.
Online Reporter
