The Sunday News
Mesabe Ncube Farming Reporter
AGRICULTURE experts are in the process of conducting a crop and area assessment programme in preparation for a solution as signs point to a drought in most districts of Matabeleland South due to a prolonged dry spell that has seen most crops wilting. Acting Matabeleland South provincial agricultural extension officer Mr Judiah Ncube said his staff started conducting the assessment programme on Monday.
Although he could not readily establish when the programme would be completed, Mr Ncube said the process was likely to take more than a week before another process of verification of the results could be carried out.
“The general outlook, however, is that most of the early crops will not yield much as they were already in the permanent wilting stage. Crops which may recover are also not likely to yield much as they are now showing advanced signs of moisture stress,” he said.
According to Mr Ncube, the maize crop was the most affected while drought resistant crops like sorghum and millet were promising.
He said most of the areas in the Matabeleland South region did not benefit much from the showers and storms that the country received in the last few weeks.
Most of the affected regions of Matabeleland South are said to be relying on maize as their major crop with a few villagers growing sorghum and millet, especially in the areas of Plumtree and Kezi.
The assessment programme comes as a result of a drought alarm that was raised by farmers’ associations and villagers at the beginning of the month for Government to start mobilising resources to buy food for the people of Matabeleland South.
Affected areas include Beitbridge, Gwanda, Matobo, Filabusi, Bulilima and Mangwe.
Meanwhile, parts of Matabeleland North have received heavy rainfall which is also threatening to subject their crops to leaching, a situation that could cause crop failure.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) past president Mr Donald Khumalo said although crops in that region were not as sun scorched as the crops in Matabeleland South, too much water was equally harmful and could result in poor yields.
“This region received a lot of rainfall in the past weeks and because of that farmers are in dire need of fertiliser to save their crops from the heavy rains that could cause leaching and cost them a good yield,” he said.
