Uncategorized

Zimbabwe banks on cows as inflation soars

Published

4 years ago

August 29, 2022

HARARE – They are an investment on four hooves. Cattle have become a safe financial option for some Zimbabweans.

Hyperinflation in the southern African nation has led to a loss of public confidence in banks and conventional pension systems.

Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate jumped to 192% in June, the highest level over a year. The reason behind this is the war in Ukraine, which is driving global commodity prices higher.

Over the last 20 years, many citizens have lost savings in banks and pension funds.

The “mooing bank”

Some are now looking for safer ways to protect their investments. And one option is investing in cattle.

Ted Edwards is the chief executive officer of Silverback Asset Managers, which some also mockingly call a “mooing bank.”

It is a unit trust primarily based on cattle. But, according to Edwards, business is booming.

“Cows seem to be a safe option for some,” Edwards said, adding that some asset management companies are creatively coming up with the old tradition of investing in cattle to create wealth for investors.

Edward’s asset company has established a unit trust investment vehicle where citizens can invest in cattle using the local currency.

Cattle holds stable value

Over time, cattle have proven that they can absorb inflationary shocks, Edwards told DW.

“What we have done is to create a unit trust fund called Mombe Mari trust fund. We have essentially unitized cattle into the trust fund as a means of attracting investment into the cattle industry.”

Currently, one unit is equivalent to hundred kilograms of live cattle.

“It is open to investment for anyone out there who wants to buy units in the unit trust.”

While a cattle unit trust may be a new phenomenon in Zimbabwe, cattle have traditionally been a source of wealth for rural farmers.

Investing in cows gives you more control: farmer

In the southern part of Zimbabwe, a region predominantly suitable for cattle ranching, farmer Zenzele Ndebele says he has never regretted investing in cattle.

Ndebele has managed to withstand the inflation pressures that the country is experiencing.

“I have a certain control over what I can do with my cattle,” Ndebele told DW.

“You can really calculate. Your cattle will add value over a period. Then, you can sell if you want to sell.”

Cattle essentially retain their value regardless of inflation swings.

In addition, they yield value long-term due to their potential reproduction rate of around one calf a year.

How the cow scheme works

While a group of investors can, for example, invest in a whole cow, individuals can buy shares in a cow or calf.

When a cow produces offspring, the value of that calf is added to the client’s portfolio.

Male calves can later be sold as a bull, and proceeds are used to procure the equivalent value in female calves.

Selling high-quality specimens also adds to the returns.

Risks involved: Droughts and diseases

Cattle have long been considered a measure of wealth across Africa.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), livestock accounts for 35 percent to 38 percent of Zimbabwe’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Investing in livestock has its own challenges though. Just as monetary investments could be eroded by inflation, cattle can be affected by droughts and diseases.

However, economists like Gift Mugano say the investment option is far much safer in a volatile environment like Zimbabwe.

Gold coins or cash cows?

“To have investments in cows or animals is a better investment opportunity than gold coins,” Mugano told DW.

“When the animals drop their offspring, that is your interest rate. It is a better bank than going to the bank and put money that is eroded by inflation.”

Zimbabwe’s central bank started selling gold coins to the public in July to help protect people’s savings against the country’s runaway inflation.

The gold coins are sold in local currency, US dollar, and other foreign currencies.

The Mosi-oa-Tunya gold coin, named after Victoria Falls, is mostly made of gold and can be used for purchases in shops as well as be used as security for loans and credit facilities. – DW

National

Zimbabwe export surge, diaspora inflows mask funding gaps in foreign affairs sector

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

Zimbabwe is seeing strong gains in export earnings and diaspora remittances, but lawmakers warn chronic underfunding is undermining the country’s diplomatic and economic ambitions.

Parliament heard that remittances reached about $1.8 billion by the third quarter of 2025, while exports rose sharply, helping cut the trade deficit. Lawmakers said the diaspora remains “a vital source of foreign exchange, directly contributing to the enhancement of the nation’s foreign reserves and overall economic stability.”

However, MPs said financial constraints are weakening the institutions meant to sustain that growth. The Zimbabwe Foreign Services Institute received only a fraction of its budget, limiting recruitment and training.

“The staffing shortfall has inevitably affected operational efficiency and the institute’s ability to discharge its core mandate,” the committee report noted.

Lawmakers warned that without consistent funding, gains in exports and diaspora engagement could stall, particularly as Zimbabwe pushes toward an export-led economy.

Nkayi

Burial preparations underway for Nkayi well tragedy victims

Published

2 weeks ago

April 22, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Nkayi community is preparing to lay to rest the Grade 2 pupil and his neighbor who tragically died in a gas-filled well in Ward 19 last week.

According to Ward 19 Councillor Thubelihle Mabuza Ncube, the young Grade 2 boy is scheduled to be laid to rest today, while the other deceased individual will be buried tomorrow. The community is currently awaiting the arrival of the bodies from the Nkayi regional mortuary. The remains were recently delivered back to the regional mortuary following the completion of postmortem examinations in Bulawayo.

The double fatality occurred when the young student was reportedly lured into a neighbor’s well by an elder to retrieve a bucket in exchange for sweets. The child was quickly overcome by suspected carbon monoxide and a total lack of oxygen. A neighbor who entered the shaft in a desperate rescue attempt also perished after being overwhelmed by the toxic air.

Due to the hazardous conditions within the well, rescuers were unable to enter the shaft and had to use a makeshift wire tool to retrieve the bodies from the surface. Councillor Ncube previously expressed deep distress over the incident, noting that Nkayi is hurting deeply.

While the community mourns, legal proceedings are also in motion. The councillor has indicated that the accused in the matter has been charged by the police. This update follows a series of tragic events in the Nkayi district, including a recent fatal elephant attack in Ward 13.

Binga

ZPCS reports 104 HIV-positive inmates across Matabeleland North prisons

Published

4 weeks ago

April 7, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A total of 104 inmates are living with HIV across eight correctional facilities in Matabeleland North, according to data from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services.

The figures, which were first reported by the Chronicle, were presented by ZPCS Assistant Principal Correctional Officer Godknows Ncube during a National Aids Council stakeholder meeting in Bulawayo.

Of the inmates recorded as positive, 98 are aged 25 and older, while six are under the age of 25. The affected facilities include Victoria Falls Prison, Hwange Prison, Ntabazinduna Satellite Prison, Anju Farm Prison, Tsholotsho Prison, Lupane Prison, and Binga Prison .

During the most recent quarter, 144 inmates underwent testing for HIV, resulting in one positive diagnosis .

While correctional facilities received 900 male condoms, officials reported that no female condoms were provided. Ncube noted the need to address this gender bias and ensure that female protectors are available for inmates.

The prison service is also facing challenges with medication adherence. Ncube emphasized that there is a high number of defaulters, particularly among younger inmates who were aware of their HIV status before entering the system.

He called for the integration of HIV services with other health programs and stressed the importance of strengthening monitoring and reporting within the prisons. Currently, some facilities in the region are not yet accredited to provide antiretroviral therapy services, highlighting a need for further staff training and equipment