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Yesterday we gave you a sneak peak at a cattle farmer's crisis deep in the heart of Rural Belize, that has left him with a loss of scores of cattle valued at tens of thousands of dollars. Our team made the journey up the river to find out more. Jomarie Lanza Reports.
His dream to pursue cattle farming is what led Clifford Moody back to Belize in 2015. And since then he's maintained this plot of land near the river side in May Pen along with his brothers, rearing and selling cattle locally. This dream quickly turned into a nightmare however when Tropical Storm Sara's floods rolled down to the Belize River Valley, sending him scrambling to save his livestock - hundreds of head of cattle - from the floods - many of them didn't make it.
Clifford Moody, Cattle Farmer
"Im going to give you a figure at least 100K worth of Cattle dead from this flood."
Reporter:
"So Mr Moody your solution to this is you need another piece of land?"
Clifford Moody, Cattle Farmer
"Yes higher land before the flood comes we have a place to move to because after the flood comes everything becomes hectic you got to put them in the water, pull them down some drown its just terrible if i get a piece of land then we know that at a certain time of the year we are going to get water so we will back up our trailer and you move them before the water comes and nobody has to be involved. You understand not the government or nobody."
Reporter:
"Is it that you didn't have time to move them this time of year?"
Clifford Moody, Cattle Farmer
"We had time to move them but where to? That's the main thing: where are we going to move to?"
In November of 2020, after Eta and Iota, he did not have higher ground for his cattle - but he did have help:
Clifford Moody, Cattle Farmer
"In 2019 and 20 we had a higher flood than this. I had 350 heads of cattle that we had to move and well the government helped us out. Central farm the North and the Mennonites they came in and they helped us out that cost me about $40,000."
This time his losses cost much more - and he's begging for a solution after encountering numerous challenges in applying for another plot of land to move his cattle.
Clifford Moody, Cattle Farmer
"My problem is I want land so I could move I told everybody that I don't want to rely on the government they have their own business to take care of I'm a citizen of this country and I think I am due a piece of land to survive it's all about surviving and raising cattle that I love to do."
"After the flood I went and I applied for a piece of land the government told me and said Cliff we need this piece of land for bird watching or whatever you call it you go and find a piece of land anywhere and I will give it to you and well we looked around and found a piece of land at least 1500 acres available, the minister said no problem he sent his drone out there to locate the area and said Mr Moody this is the area I'm going to give to you 200 acres Mr Moody go and file this at the front desk I went and filed it at the front desk going on 2 years and everytime I check it is still in process how can it take almost 2 years to locate and piece of land and give it to me. Lease me a piece of land so that's the problem I have."
Now his cows roam the area from Black Creek to Flowers Bank, and there's no use in attempting to recover the ones dead in the forest.
Clifford Moody, Cattle Farmer
"And now that the waters have receded, here in May Pen there are only a few hundred left which he must now purchase feed for since there is no grass for them to graze."
Clifford Moody, Cattle Farmer
"They know about the Savannah river very well, nice feeding and stuff so they tried to work their way back and then the second flood came and they got caught up back there and we tried to bring them over but the water was too high they didn't want to come. So they got stuck there and the location where they are under the trees and the bushes because they are looking for the highest point so they could rest their feet and dry their feet and laydown they got caught up in the flood it's not because we didn't try I hired people as a matter of fact I hired help, cattle man to come and help me to move them you know I don't rely on nobody I paid my way."
