Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
Government has urged farmers who rely on rain-fed agriculture to consider small grains as the country continues to experience erratic rainfall patterns in the current summer cropping season.

Addressing hundreds of people at the World Wetland Day commemorations at Driefontein Grasslands in Chirumhanzu last week, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the country would most likely experience a drought. She said although the country was expected to receive 200mm of rainfall in January and part February, it had only received between 14mm and 22mm.

“The truth of the matter is we are headed for some drought and I urge farmers who rely on rainfall for their crops to consider small grains like beans. We were expecting this January (last month) to receive 200mm of rainfall, but some areas got 14mm, while others got 22mm. We are now into February and things are not looking up and therefore the need for farmers to consider small grains,” she said.

Urban areas, said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri, needed to use water sparingly as dam and borehole levels were likely to fall.

“However, President Mnangagwa has said no one will starve,” she said. “We have more than 1,4 million tonnes of grain and that include small grains, which can feed the nation. The grain at Grain Marketing Board is going to feed the nation.”