A CATTLE farmer, Kindness Ndlovu, from Ward 16 in Umguza District, recently recounted his ordeal at the hands of an organised cattle rustling syndicate that has reportedly descended the area on the outskirts of Bulawayo.
He said since the beginning of last year, thieves have raided his farm on different occasions, stealing a total of 50 head of cattle, leaving him with significant financial losses.
“Having worked so hard over the years to grow my herd, it pains me to see someone straying into my kraal and taking what does not belong to them. The only things that these stock thieves leave as evidence are the heads, ear tags, or cowbells of your cattle left at the scene,” Ndlovu told a meeting during a police anti-stock theft awareness campaign on the outskirts of Bulawayo near Khami in Umguza District.
He adds: “Stock thieves are depriving us of the much-needed income. What is even more saddening is that they even k!ll a pregnant cow and then remove the calf, leaving it lying on the ground.”
Ndlovu’s case highlights a widespread problem of stock theft, which is costing the livestock industry hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Cases of stock theft are rampant across Zimbabwe with rustlers hitting farmers hardest in border areas where they work with cross-border syndicates to steal livestock.
On average, between 5 000 and 10 000 cases of livestock theft are reported each year in the country according to the Zimbabwe Republic Police Anti-Stock Theft Unit.
To address the plight of Ndlovu and other livestock farmers, who are losing their cattle to rustlers, NetOne, one of the leading local mobile network providers, as part of commitment to driving a digital, smart agriculture economy, has introduced tracking devices to track livestock movements.
Designed to combat the rise in cattle rustling, these animal trackers offer real-time location monitoring during alarms and alert farmers to unusual behavior that might signal predator attacks or theft attempts. All this information is accessible through a user-friendly smartphone app.
Studies suggest that incorporating advanced technology like trackers or GPS collars significantly enhances security for livestock. This technology has the potential to be the most effective tool in combating animal theft.
Speaking to B-Metro at the company’s exhibition stand at the just-ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), NetOne group chief executive officer, Engineer Raphael Mushanawani, said the animal tracking devices were designed to mitigate the impact of stock theft.
He said proactive measures such as tracking devices were key to farmers protecting their livestock from theft. NetOne’s product manager, Easyway Samusodza, explained how the animal tracking device works.
“These animal trackers allow you to virtually track your animals from anywhere. Imagine a farmer in Harare managing other business ventures, yet unaware of what’s happening back at the farm. Now, with connectivity at your farm, you can see your animals wherever you are,” said Samusodza.
He said NetOne’s dedicated internet access solution, One Connect, provides the farmer with a private channel for data transmission.
“To connect with the tracking system, collars are placed on your animals. These collars communicate with a gateway device, which then transmits data to the base station. This lets you monitor animal movement and even create virtual fences. If your animals cross these boundaries, you’ll receive an alert on your phone, allowing you to contact someone on the ground to check on them. In essence, instead of solely relying on herdsmen, you can now actively assist them in locating the animals,” said Samusodza.
Source B-Metro
