Mozambique: Farmers complain of stock theft

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Mozambique: Farmers complain of stock theft

8:48 CAT | 24 Feb 2020

Photo: Facebook / Amigos de Julio Parruque

Livestock farmers in Maputo province on Thursday told provincial governor Julio Parruque that they are extremely concerned at the systematic theft of their cattle.

Parruque is on a tour of all the districts in the province to ascertain the real needs of the population and the extent to which government programmes have been implemented.

His first stop was Boane, about 30 kilometres west of Maputo city. Here, in the locality of Mahubo, local farmers left him in no doubt that their main concern is stock theft.

Parruque delivered a dip tank, recently rehabilitated by the provincial government, and, although this is welcome, it does not solve the main problem posed by the farmers which is the theft of their animals. Stock theft threatens to undermine all the efforts to promote and expand livestock farming.

“We would like to thank our government for creating conditions for our animals to be treated in this dip tank. But, Mr Governor, we are tired of the thefts. There are some cattle breeders who have closed down their livestock corrals, because they have nothing left, it’s all been stolen”, said livestock farmer Alberto Lhanguane.

Parruque was told that some farmers spend their nights in the open, personally protecting their livestock against the thieves, who normally strike at night. In some case, the thieves have murdered the farmers.

The Governor promised that he will work to boost security and restore tranquillity to the area. The provincial government would also bring in new stock to the locality which currently has about 1,500 head of cattle.

“We shall staunch crime here in Mahubo”, he pledged. “But don’t give up. You should continue to breed cattle to supply meat to the entire province. Always bring your livestock to the dip tank we have just delivered, so that the animals can be treated against diseases”.

At his next stop, the locality of Gueguegue, Parruque delivered to the local community 65 head of cattle, to boost livestock breeding. But here too the farmers complained of stock theft.

35 families received the animals, all of them bulls of the Brahman breed. Parruque urged the beneficiaries to take good care of the animals, and use them to increase the cattle herd in the region.

“The government spent about six million meticais (about 93,000 US dollars, at current exchange rates) to acquire these bulls, so each one cost about 100,000 meticais”, said the Governor. “You will only pay a symbolic amount for them, since our goal is to encourage livestock farming”.

Source: AIM