ZIMBABWE’S rainfall season has reportedly come to a premature end, with no prospects of rainfall throughout the country, with Matabeleland already sending an SOS for food aid, as crops wilt due to moisture stress.
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The country requires 1 384 000 tonnes of grain for human consumption and 350 000 tonnes for livestock and other uses and has to import if the harvest is below these requirements.
The Meteorological Services Department confirmed that no prospects of rainfall were to be expected in all the provinces in the country.
Senior meteorologist Tichaona Zinyemba said Matabeleland, Masvingo, the Midlands and the southern part of Manicaland might experience light showers up to the first week of April.
“Heavy rains are not forecast anywhere in the country, though there will be some tropical moisture that will produce isolated light showers in parts of Mashonaland Central, East and part of Manicaland,” he said.
Most crops in the southern parts of the country, mainly maize, which is at the tussling stage are said to be wilting and need more rainfall.
Zinyemba urged farmers, individuals and organisations in the horticulture industry, poultry and animal breeding to get appropriate advice from Agritex, as winter is approaching.
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Agriculture minister Joseph Made recently said an Agritex team was on the ground carrying out a rapid assessment which would bring out the real food needs ward by ward.
A survey last year had projected an increase in farm produce this year. However, low rainfall has put paid to such projections.
Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa reportedly said the government had employed proactive measures and was already strategising on how to mitigate drought in the event that the dry spell continues and the southern region experiences poor harvests.
“After receiving these reports (of the affected crop) we started strategising on how to cushion the affected regions,” he was quoted saying.
“Our first cluster in ZimAsset aims at averting hunger and ensuring food security at household level,” he said.
