Source: Farmer loses property worth US$80 000 to fire | The Herald
Patrick Chitumba-Midlands Bureau Chief
FIVE months ago, Mr Johnmakhaya Masuku (37) — a farmer from Somabula area — bought three brand new tractors and an array of hay baling equipment as he wanted to expand his business.
The three tractors landed at a combined cost of US$57 000 and a baler at US$9 000.
Already the equipment had done 14 000 hay bales valued at US$21 000, which he was selling at US$1,50 each.
However, tragedy struck on Wednesday when all the equipment and bales were reduced to ashes by a veld fire leaving the farmer stranded and stressed.
A distraught Mr Masuku told our Bulawayo Bureau that the loss was morale sapping.
“It’s difficult to narrate what happened. I’m stressed. It’s a long story,” said the farmer.
“It is a very difficult story to narrate but briefly I will say what I can then you will also try to make sense of it. My brother, these trucks are brand new, we bought them in February, they are hardly five months old.”
Mr Masuku said the shiny, new tractors were working wonders for him as they didn’t have breakdowns, making hay baling fast and simple.
“So, five months ago I brought these three brand new tractors for US$57 000. The two huge 75 HP came at a cost of US$45 000 and the small one for US$12 000. There was also a baler at US$9 000. So, the cost of this new equipment was US$78 000.
“Already the equipment had done 14 000 hay bales which I was selling US$1,50 each valued at US$21 000. The total value of equipment and hay bales and fuel drums is nearly US$80 000,” said Mr Masuku.
He said he specialised in baling and they were putting together the hay baling equipment in order to grow the business.
“We were making hay bales in preparation for the farming season. The major customers for these are dairy farmers. Then it so happened that our farm workers got paid at the end of the month (August), they left the project site unattended, parked the tractors side by side with the hay bales, a huge stockpile of about 14 000 bales, covered with a canvas tent,” said Mr Masuku.
He said, while the employees were all away, a fire broke out and there was no one to control it.
“The boys are very much aware of the fact that the farm must have someone on the lookout all the time. But on that particular day, they all decided to go and enjoy their salaries at the same time leaving no one to keep an eye on things.
“Tragedy struck and the fire ravaged through the farm and the brand-new tractors and the baler and the hay bales were burnt down to ashes. As I am speaking nothing was saved,” said Mr Masuku.
He said he was still; engaging the employees who look like they are remorseful.
“But being remorseful won’t bring back the tractors and everything that was burnt in the fire,” he said.
He appealed for support from well-wishers so that perhaps, he can see through his vision.
His hope was for the project to help develop the area and nation at large.
“So, now we have nowhere to start, no hope, but the vision to forge ahead is still within us as this struck while we had already begun land preparation before the rains started.”
Mr Masuku appealed for assistance from farmers around the Somabula area in terms of tilling the land so that he prepares the land for the coming season.
“Therefore, I am appealing to all Government ministries to help us replace the tractors so that we can continue with our work. May the Government please intervene towards this cause even by loans, payment plans can be arranged,” pleaded Mr Masuku.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Midlands provincial spokesperson Mr Oswald Ndlovu said from July 31, Midlands province has lost about 8 500 hectares to veld fires.
“The Somabula case is the major one on property lost to fires. Farmers should take fireguard construction seriously as it helps in protecting properties, machinery and farm produce. As EMA we have been training firefighting teams as well as engaging community members on veld fire management,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said the agency had instituted a village fire model in Somabula where community members are capacitated on veld fire management.
“We will soon be giving them fire beaters, sickles and bee hives. The fire beaters will be used when putting out fires while sickles are for thatch grass harvesting which helps in reducing biomass. We will give the farmers 70 sickles, 80 fire beaters and 15 beehives for this pilot project,” he said.
In the country, most veld fires are a result of human actions that emanate from the disposal of cigarettes, the burning of vegetation when preparing fields, the use of fire by hunters, smoking out bees and the making of fires by motorists along highways.
The 2021 fire season destroyed a total 408 366.7 hectares of land representing an 84.97 percent increase during the same period in 2020 when 220 778.79 hectares were burnt from the recorded 395 veld fire incidents.
The veld fire season which spans from July 31 to October 31 — a period when biomass is dry and windy, providing a conducive foundation for wild, uncontrolled and runaway fires which are destructive to the environment, life, property and agricultural produce.
COMMENTS