'66% of households in Zimbabwe do not own cattle'

A recent report by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) has revealed that the majority of households in Zimbabwe do not own cattle, a traditional symbol of wealth, highlighting the persistent challenges of poverty in the country.

The 2025 Rural Livelihoods Assessment indicates that around 66% of households do not own any cattle, while only 12% possess more than five animals. About 11% of the surveyed communities reported that their livestock was in poor condition.

Regional disparities in cattle ownership were also noted. Mashonaland West recorded the highest proportion of households without cattle at 73%, followed by Manicaland and Mashonaland Central at 71%, Mashonaland East at 70%, Matabeleland South at 69%, Matabeleland North at 60%, Midlands at 59%, and Masvingo at 57%. The report further highlighted that pasture availability and quality were largely rated as fair, with 39% and 45% of communities respectively reporting fair conditions.

Livestock pricing showed significant variations across the country. Insiza reported the highest cattle prices at US$506, while Bulilima recorded the lowest at US$191. Goat prices also varied, with Insiza leading at US$51 and Mbire at the bottom with US$20.

The report examined access to information on infectious and contagious diseases, revealing that 72.6% of communities had accessed information on rabies, whereas only 6.1% had information on listeria. Additionally, 52.2% of households reported receiving early warning information, but only 39.3% used it to plan risk and mitigation measures.

Access to health and nutrition information was also assessed, with 59.4% of households reporting they had received such information. The survey found that 58% of households had health facilities within a 5km radius, the recommended distance, while 9% traveled more than 10km to access care. Primary school access showed that about 72% of households had a school within 5km.

Regarding services for victims of physical and sexual abuse, 47% of households reported having access to information on available services. Nationally, 39% of households could reach police services within an hour, and 46% indicated that police provided victim-friendly services.

The ZimLAC report underscores the economic hardships faced by rural communities in Zimbabwe, highlighting gaps in livestock ownership, access to essential services, and information dissemination that continue to affect livelihoods and development outcomes.