Bobirwa benefits (suffers) from its proximity with SA, Zim

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Friday February 25, 2011 00:00

Given its proximity to these countries, Babirwa especially those closest to the borderlines naturally tend to suffer or benefit from events in the two neighbouring states.

For instance, when the foot and mouth disease (FMD) breaks out in Zimbabwe some Bobirwa villagers on the border are not spared the ugly consequences. On the other end, their counterparts next to South Africa benefit a lot from the good harvest spillovers that come seasonally from their southern neighbours.

So close to these two countries is Babirwa that they even have relatives and friends in Zimbabwe and South Africa, hence the high movement across the borders to attend to family functions or seek medical assistance, in some instances.

Babirwa origins are traced back to these countries. Even their language and traditional dance are almost similar to the Venda people found in the Beit Bridge area in Zimbabwe and Limpopo in South Africa.

Babirwa women are renowned for their involvement in handcraft activities where they weave and brew beverages using available resources within their regions. They engage in basket weaving using the Mokolane tree.

Through the sale of the products they generate money for self-sustenance. Some women from the region have in the past even made it to various international trade fairs and won prizes, through the assistance of the government's Women's Affairs Department. Other than trade fairs they supply various lodges and hotels with their beautiful products. They also benefit from tourists who visit Mashatu Game Reserve in the Tuli Block area. With new business opportunities emerging across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and beyond, some enterprising woman are now engaging in the harvesting of precious stones that are used in the production of decorative articles. The area possesses a variety of the precious stones, which they harvest and classify according to their sizes, colour and shape before selling.

Babirwa are very fond of their tradition and cultural beliefs. This is evidenced by the presence of traditional groups whose members are elderly men and women who are keen to keep it alive. The groups like BDF 11 from Semolale area, Zebras from Mathathane area and Lembezi from Bobonong still cling to the tribe's tradition in the era when modernisation appears to have submerged cultural norms and practices in other regions. The area also prides itself in its artistic sons and daughters like Shumba Ratshega, Slizer and the late Duncan Senyatso who have made Bobirwa well known both countrywide and internationally.

Bobirwa region also has the potential of benefiting the country through its tourism and hospitality attractions. It is home to many lodges and a wide range of wildlife species in the Tuli Block area.  This has the potential of turning the region into a source of foreign exchange. The Tuli Block also has huge farms and ranches that are able to produce sufficient food for the region. Babirwa are able to sell farm products for a living throughout the year.

Their proximity to South Africa is also a blessing in that they are able to buy farm products for sale if the local stock gets depleted. They are also hands-on tribe in that there are emerging vegetable farms, orchards and poultry farms, which offer employment opportunities for the local people.

All these are substitutes to cattle farming, which is the mainstay of the Bobirwa economy. The environment is also conducive for  cattle to breed and multiply. This has made the region one of the major suppliers of beef to the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC). Hence the 2006 FMD outbreak was not only a blow to the local farmers but also to the economy of the country at large.

Farmers are now bracing for improved economies after their area was declared FMD-free by the World Organisation for Animal Health. Local butcheries who have been benefiting from the ban by buying cattle at cheaper prices are already experiencing hiked prices as a result of the now available market.The disease outbreak meant that farmers could not access any market outside the zone and were confined to just selling to the local butcheries. As a result they sold their cattle at give-away prices as supply exceeded demand. The local farmers were also adversely affected by the last drought spell, as they could not relocate their cattle to the neighbouring regions for fear of further spreading the disease. 

Having successfully managed to control the disease in Bobirwa region, which is also known as Zone 7, the Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on an initiative to continuously expand the FMD free zone in the country.

This is necessary because the disease impacts negatively on trading of animals and animal products mainly because of the movement restriction that is imposed on areas that are not recognised as FMD free. The expansion of the FMD free zone would open up more markets for animals and animal products from such areas.

As a long-term strategy to maintain the FMD free status of Zone 7 government will continue to maintain disease control fences around the zone, FMD surveillance within the zone as well as continue working with all stakeholders such as Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and Botswana Police Service.

After the April 2006 outbreak the two abattoirs, in Francistown and Maun were closed down, leaving Babirwa with no markets. Bobirwa farmers are among the highest suppliers of slaughter cattle to the country's main abattoirs.

Before the outbreak cattle figures in Bobirwa were estimated to 120,000 but later declined to 78,000.

Bobirwa farmers have been applauded for their support towards the achievement to successfully control FMD.

Contrary to the farmers' belief that an electric fence would control ungazztted movement of animals between Botswana and Zimbabwe this is not viable as a result of continued vandalism of the fence. The main concern presently is to separate buffaloes from direct contact with livestock. 'We have engaged experts to find a sustainable solution to the vandalism of the border fence.  A low fence is more viable because elephants can jump over without destroying it but they can continue destroying it if it is high and electrified,' Minister of Agriculture, Christiaan De Graaf was recently quoted as saying. However, the maintenance of the fence will continue to be carried out.   

The FMD outbreak initially started in Sekgopye crush about 25km northwest of Bobonong and 45km towards the Zimbabwean border.

The area had 5,000 head of cattle. Other crushes that were also searched included Bobonong, Ntswelemokabi, Mojande, Marapalalo, Lepokole and Matsaganeng. Prior to the outbreak there had been concerns over the extent of cross-border crime where cattle were smuggled into Zimbabwe through ungazzetted points. The principle had been that any livestock that crossed the border had to be killed upon return.

The government had decided to vaccinate cattle instead of culling. There was also the decision by the government to erect a 2.4m electric fence along the border but this was not effected because of frequent vandalism. Therefore the P8 million fence that was meant for electrification was diverted to intensify security along the common border.