'A man is his cattle'

When a farmer like Moses Ipinge* (*not his real name) needs cash for medicine, or to repair the roof of his home, or pay his children’s school fees, he dips into his bank account and withdraws some of his savings. That means he’ll sell a head of cattle, maybe to the local butcher or someone else in his village, and use the cash where it’s most needed. Like many Oshiwambo farmers in northern Namibia, and so many others across southern Africa, holding on to his herd is how he protects and builds his savings.

But what happens if drought threatens to shrink the herd through starvation or thirst, as many farmers experienced when the rains failed here between 2013 and 2016? Should Ipinge sell the animals before they lose too much weight, meaning they’ll fetch a lower price? Or worse: what if the animals die before he can cash them in? Should Ipinge risk holding on to the herd for a few more months, in the hope that the rains return and his animals recover their condition and are worth more once again?