Cattle Husbandry and trade in Bulozi, a historical perspective C.1880-1973

Abstract

Cattle husbandry and trade in Bulozi (much of present day Western Province Zambia) was a concern of people of Bulozi for a long time. The purpose of this study was to examine, investigate and assess opportunities and challenges relating to the cattle economy in a traditional context of Bulozi. More importantly was to examine why despite a long history of cattle keeping, cattle husbandry and trade did not make Lozi cattle keepers very rich peasants. The study covered the pre-colonial, colonial and post colonial phases from 1880 to 1973. The study utilised Archival evidence, secondary sources and interviews with relevant stakeholders in the sampled areas of Bulozi. The analysis of both primary and secondary data indicated that cattle husbandry and trade were negatively affected by labour migration from rural to urban areas, cattle disease outbreaks, insufficient leadership involvement, ecological changes, inadequate local knowledge utilisation and conservative attitudes by traditional cattle keepers in relation to the cattle economy. All these were very important variables that affected the historical shifts. Why the Lozi cattle keepers did not become very rich peasants in their cattle husbandry and trade activities was tied to the foregoing variables acting upon each other. Cattle keepers‟ opinion showed that government policy on the level of importance attached to cattle husbandry and trade was considered instrumental and important in stimulating or discouraging cattle husbandry and trade among traditional producers. The historical analysis based on the findings ranging from 1880 to 1973 showed that the Lozi cattle keepers were very resilient in cattle rearing despite the challenges faced. Some of the opportunities that availed themselves were utilised. To make cattle husbandry and trade successful, the cattle keepers, government and researchers needed to realize that they needed to co-operate and support each other. Prior to, during and after colonialism the Lozi people were cattle keepers at traditional levels. Evidence has shown that the lack of full co-operation between cattle keepers and government in cattle husbandry and trade, negatively affected the cattle economy in Bulozi