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Runesu Gwidi Masvingo Correspondent
Government has adopted electronic tagging of cattle in a bid to ring-fence the $300 million Command Livestock programme from cattle rustlers across the country.

The company that will spearhead the electronic tagging exercise has since been identified.

Cattle rustlers have been on the prowl particularly in areas along the border with Mozambique where there is a lucrative market for local cattle.

Masvingo Provincial Crop and Livestock officer, Mr Peter Chamisa, on Wednesday said Government has since ventured into the use of new lnformation and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for cattle tagging in a attempt to curb rustling.

“The incorporation of ICTs into livestock production by the Government is a welcome development. As a Ministry, we would want to make it categorically clear that all people are at liberty to come forward and register for -the Command Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife programme,” he said.

“‘The programme is free from rustlers since the Government has contracted a company responsible for conducting electronic tagging to safeguard cattle against rustlers,” Mr Chamisa said.

He said the introduction of electronic chips that bear finer details of the owner of livestock and their geographical locations would guarantee security of the livestock.

The Command Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife programme is meant to revitalise livestock production, beef production and significantly improve the national economy.

Mr Chamisa, however, bemoaned the fact that cattle suppliers for the programme in Masvingo province were fewer than prospective buyers.

“We have a high demand for cattle, while the supply is critically low.

Some farmers are hesitant to sell their cattle to the programme. They need to understand that it is them who would do price mark-ups when supplying cattle to the programme not the Government.”

He hinted that the price mark-ups by cattle farmers were subject to reasonable moderation by the parent Ministry.

Mr Chamisa said the number of applicants for the Command Livestock programme in Masvingo would soon be published by the Ministry.

“We encourage more applicants for the programme from our seven districts either in the cattle rearing or fattening categories.”

Government has since revealed that each province in the country would get a $10 million disbursement for the programme that is expected to culminate in the reopening of the Cold Storage Company (CSC) depots in Chinhoyi, Bulawayo and Masvingo.

The Command Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife programme falls under the Food Security and Nutrition Cluster of Zim-                         Asset.