Ziguinchor: Cattle electrocuted, disaster narrowly averted

A tragic animal incident has shaken southern Senegal. In Ziguinchor, several head of cattle were electrocuted near a faulty Senelec high-voltage substation. While the accident has plunged livestock farmers into financial and emotional distress, it could have claimed the lives of many local residents who frequented the site located in Djéfaye, near the Aline Sitoé Diatta stadium.

According to Moussa Nanisané, president of the Southern Livestock Farmers Cooperative, the situation is "catastrophic." After a goat was electrocuted two days ago, two cows died the following day, Wednesday, around 5:30 p.m. "We narrowly avoided disaster," he warned, noting that young people and trucks travel daily through this high-risk area.

For Adam, the farmer directly affected, the shock is immense. Losses are estimated at between 3 and 4 million CFA francs. This doesn't just involve livestock destined for slaughter, but also breeding animals essential for improving local breeds. Among them are pregnant cows and a valuable bull, meant to boost the cooperative's production. "This is a ten-step backward for local livestock farming," laments Nanisané, pointing out that farmers are solely responsible for financing insemination, training, and vaccinations.

The cooperative, which encompasses all sectors (poultry, mammals, pigs, and dogs), says it feels "neglected" by the authorities. It demands the securing of infrastructure through rigorous maintenance of high-voltage substations before, during, and after the winter season, as well as state support to compensate for losses and the swift allocation of a secure site to Gifangor, which has already been requested from the prefect.

Beyond the tragedy, the stakes are strategic. The cooperative emphasizes that local livestock farming is vital to meeting national demand, particularly during Tabaski, when Senegal still relies heavily on imports. Without investment protection and genuine support, the sector in the south risks remaining a perpetual cycle of decline.

YouTube video: Moussa Nanisané, President of the Southern Livestock Farmers Cooperative