Crops succumb to heat wave

THE prolonged dry spell that has persisted in most parts of the country has destroyed crops and could mean a lean year ahead for farmers.

Matabeleland North Provincial Agritex Officer Mr Dumisani Nyoni said crops have succumbed to moisture stress while some would be written off if it does not rain in seven days.

“Some crops have been destroyed due to lack of moisture while most crops that were promising are now at wilting point. If the rains don’t come in the next seven days the crops will be a write off.

“Most of the crops were at reproductive stage. We’re hoping the rains come so that the crops survive and farmers have something to harvest,” said Mr Nyoni.

He said all districts in the province were affected by the heat wave, with some farmers having lost their crops while others pin their hopes on the rains.

“Out of the seven districts in the province, only Lupane received isolated rains over the weekend. Other districts are still dry.

“Some farmers have lost while others are hoping it rains because their crops still have a chance,” said Mr Nyoni.

He said a round of crop assessment would be done at the end of this month by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement to determine the amount of food salvaged from the fields.

Mr Nyoni urged farmers whose crops still have a chance to closely monitor their crops and watch out for domestic and wild animals, termites and birds.

He added that those who still have extra land to plant should try sweet potatoes and cow peas.

Mr Earnest Ndlovu, a farmer in Insiza North, Matabeleland South and a member of the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union said the province had also been severely affected by the heat wave.

“Some parts of Shangani, Insiza North are promising and if it rains in the next one week the crops have a chance of surviving.

“However, in areas which include Gwanda, Beitbridge, Kezi and parts of Bulilima, crops have been written off due to lack of moisture,” said Mr Ndlovu.

He added that livestock was also in danger because most water bodies had run dry and pastures had become scarce.

According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVac) lean season monitoring report for January 2019, food insecurity in rural and urban areas has significantly increased countrywide with Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces being the hardest hit.

The report revealed that food insecurity prevalence has increased in the country with rural households recording 51 percent up from 28 percent last year.

— @pamelashumba1.