Villagers urge govt to reintroduce cattle restocking

A village headman in Pemba district has appealed to the government to re-introduce the cattle restocking programme in order to uplift the lives of farmers in villages.

 

Headman Situkali of Mufungu Village in Moyo Chiefdom told ZANIS in an interview in Pemba today that the restocking of livestock is a good initiative as it will help villagers recover animals they lost to tick-borne diseases.

 

He noted that small scale farmers are losing animals to diseases due to lack of information on proper and safe animal husbandry practices.

 

He however said there is need for government to sensitise villagers on how best to manage livestock.

 

Headman Situkali said that he was one of the beneficiaries of the cattle restocking programme government initiated in 2009 but lost all three animals he had been to tick-borne disease because he was not equipped to deal with the situation.

 

He said government should also consider training the villagers in basic veterinary to help them manage their livestock in an event of a cattle disease outbreak.

 

And Nachibanga Ward Councillor in Pemba District Kingstone Handiindo said the cattle restocking is the only way small scale farmers lives in rural areas can be uplifted.

 

Mr Handiindo has since appealed to government to also consider introducing cattle restocking in his ward.