Drought looms in Midlands

A DROUGHT is looming in the Midlands Province following a prolonged dry spell and way below average rains received so far this season.

In an interview yesterday, Midlands provincial crop and livestock officer Mrs Madeline Magwenzi said farmers were worried about the dry spell and below average rains.

She said according to a preliminary crop assessment conducted by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Development, on average, the hectarage put under maize production was at 20 percent. Most farmers, Mrs Magwenzi said, had since given up on replanting.

“The farming season has not yet started in Mberengwa and Zvishavane, farmers have only done 10 percent of their planting and in Gokwe North, the area that has been planted is less than 30 percent,” she said.

“Mvuma is equally dry, as well as Shurugwi, while Gokwe South is receiving some rainfall and seeds are germinating. Kwekwe and Gweru districts are very dry, but they have an advantage that they have irrigation schemes and they are at early vegetative stage where they are top dressing their crops.”

Mrs Magwenzi said districts such as Mberengwa, Zvishavane, Mvuma and Gokwe North were likely to experience severe drought. She said farmers in drought-prone districts should quickly adapt and plant small grains which did well in low rainfall. “We are trying to advocate for small grains such as millet, rapoko and sorghum as they mature fast and they are drought-resistant compared to maize, but most farmers do not like the idea as most people prefer white to brown sadza,” said Mrs Magwenzi.