Zimbabwe begins emergency cattle feeding amid severe drought

ZIMBABWE – The Republic of Zimbabwe has initiated an emergency feeding program for its cattle as a prolonged drought, exacerbated by an El Niño climate pattern, devastates the country. 

This urgent measure is part of a broader effort by the Zimbabwean government to safeguard its livestock, which are essential to the livelihoods of rural communities and national food security.

In response to the worsening conditions, the government has accelerated the delivery of critical livestock feeds to at-risk areas. 

According to reports from the Herald, these shipments include hay bales, silage, salt blocks, and other essential supplies, which are being transported by truck to communities nationwide. 

The Ministry of Agriculture has tailored these deliveries to meet the survival needs of an estimated 2.8 million cattle in need of water and feed.

The situation is dire, with cattle mortality and reduced productivity threatening the nation’s rural economies. To bolster these emergency efforts, the government is also seeking collaboration with private sector partners, including businesses and corporations, to protect the Zimbabwean cattle population.

The crisis is not new; a month ago, the government had already announced an emergency feeding policy to preserve the country’s 5.7 million cattle. 

At that time, the drought had already claimed close to 10,000 cattle, with an additional 2 million at risk due to severe water shortages. The government has also launched programs to construct water troughs and restore dip tanks to control livestock diseases.

Impact on corn production and imports

The drought’s impact extends beyond livestock, severely affecting Zimbabwe’s domestic corn production. With more than half of the country’s planted corn area devastated by a lack of rainfall, the president has declared a state of disaster. As a result, Zimbabwe faces a significant shortfall in its staple crop.

According to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Zimbabwe is expected to import 1 million metric tons of corn this year to meet demand. 

This is in stark contrast to previous years, with domestic production projected to drop to 635,000 metric tons, down from 1.45 million metric tons and 1.5 million metric tons in the two preceding years.

White corn, the staple food for most Zimbabweans, accounts for about 80% of the country’s total corn demand. The remaining demand is primarily for yellow corn, which is used in animal feed.

With the ongoing drought, the demand for yellow corn is expected to rise to 350,000 metric tons, driven by the need for supplementary cattle feeding until the rainy season returns in October and by the expansion of domestic broiler production.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.