WARD 5 villagers in Goba Bulilima district, Plumtree, have run out of food after the little stocks they harvested last season dried up.
Most parts of Matabeleland South province have received low rainfall during the 2022-23 summer season. Villagers, who are the most affected by hunger are the elderly, who are failing to travel to Moza irrigation scheme where others are ekeing out a living.
Ward 5 Goba councillor Mbuso Moyo said livestock in the area were also dying of thirst and hunger.
“We are appealing to well-wishers to donate food to us, most villagers did not harvest anything from their fields due to poor rainfall. Our source of income used to be our livestock, but they have started succumbing to drought. One beast used to cost R5 000, but due to their poor condition at the moment, buyers are no longer interested in them. This has worsened our plight,” Moyo said.
Matabeleland South province Agritex agronomist Innocent Nyathi did not rule out starvation in some parts of Matabeleland South.
“There is low rainfall in Matabeleland South. I cannot rule out starvation. Livestock are perishing, but there is a programme called Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture funded by World Food Programme (seeking) to upscale intervention measures involving the blending of climate information with weather information that includes the rain fall pattern, total etc. We urge people to grow small grain plants which suit their environment, they will not fail to harvest something,” Nyathi said.
He urged farmers to grow pastures or partner with those who can produce food for their livestock.
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