Precious Manomano-Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT is intensifying measures to safeguard the national herd against the anticipated dry 2026/27 agricultural season, urging farmers to assess their water and feed reserves early while strengthening disease-prevention programmes to minimise livestock losses.
In an interview on Tuesday, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said farmers should establish how long their available water and feed could sustain their herds before deciding on livestock numbers.
He said early planning was critical to protecting livestock from prolonged dry conditions, which could put pressure on water supplies, grazing and feed availability.
“The first is to ensure that every livestock farmer understands their water resources. As I indicated earlier, the supply is very critical,” he said.
Prof Jiri said farmers should also assess their feed stocks.
“Secondly, (ensure you know) how much feed resources you have. The decision to keep livestock depends on the feed resources,” he said.
Farmers, he said, needed to decide based on the resources available to them rather than wait until shortages of water and feed weakened their animals. Prof Jiri said Government was not directing farmers to reduce their herds, but encouraging them to consider their individual circumstances and make sound business decisions to protect their livestock and livelihoods.
“I don’t mean that the farmer must downsize. The decision to sell off should be purely business — to say, if I offload to buy feed resources, then that is a business decision that a farmer must make,” he said.
Farmers with adequate feed and water could maintain their herds, while those facing shortages needed to consider how best to manage their animals before conditions deteriorated.
Early livestock management decisions could help farmers avoid distress sales, where animals are sold under pressure and may fetch unfavourable prices, undermining the value of their investments.
The approach is intended to ensure farmers assess the risks facing their animals in time and take appropriate measures to preserve the national herd during the anticipated dry season.
Government is implementing a broader package of drought mitigation measures covering water availability, livestock feed, animal health and the strengthening of drought mitigation centres. The centres are expected to support livestock during difficult periods, particularly in areas where water and grazing resources are vulnerable to prolonged dry conditions.
Meanwhile, Government is targeting the vaccination of one million cattle against anthrax in 2027 to protect the national herd against disease outbreaks.
The programme will complement other livestock health interventions aimed at reducing disease-related losses as farmers contend with the anticipated dry season.
Livestock disease prevention remains central to drought preparedness, as farmers must protect the health of their animals while managing limited water, grazing and feed resources.
Government’s broader livestock interventions also include tick control, securing feed supplies, improving water availability and strengthening drought mitigation centres to support animals in vulnerable areas.
The combination of early planning by farmers and Government support is expected to reduce avoidable livestock losses and preserve the productive capacity of the national herd.
The preparations come amid forecasts of below-normal rainfall during the 2026/27 agricultural season, raising concerns over water and grazing availability for livestock.
Farmers are being urged to evaluate their resources early, plan for possible shortages and make timely decisions to protect their animals rather than wait until drought conditions have severely affected their herds.
Safeguarding livestock is critical to sustaining household livelihoods and protecting farmers’ investments.
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