The Sunday Mail
Harmony Agere and Vimbainashe Chabata
The Meteorological Services Department has urged farmers to consult Agritex officials to get the best on-farm operations in their areas.
This comes amid fears that the ongoing rapid climate change may result in erratic rainfall patterns and hailstorms this season.
The statement comes as the country is still waiting for consistent rains, almost two months on after the season itself should have started.
The possibility of a drought is not totally out of the question.
The department, however, says this does not necessarily mean there will be drought since the country has been experiencing late rainfalls in the past but still managing decent yields. The Met Department also warned that climate change is real and urged farmers to adapt to the changing times.
“The country has not yet received significant rains to date, therefore, it is important that farmers liaise with Agritex officials to get the best on-farm operations in their areas,” reads a statement released by the department.
“In terms of percentages of normality, much of the country is still below par.
“In agriculture, it is important that the rains be well distributed throughout the season for crops to reach maturity, but if the distribution of rainfall in the season is bad, that can consequently lead to a drought season.
“As it is now, it’s still too early to conclude that the season will end up being a drought one.
“It is important to note that delayed onset of rainfall does not always translate into a drought season. The past seasons recorded delayed rains in most parts of the country but the seasons did not necessarily end up being drought seasons.”
The country has also been experiencing high temperatures a situation the Met Department said may result in hail storms and strong winds.
“Temperatures have been high; therefore thunderstorms have the potential of being accompanied by large hail and damaging winds.”
“It is also important to realize that climate change is now a reality and therefore farmers should not completely rely on the traditional knowledge of the beginning of the main rains.”
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Mr Wonder Chabikwa also said it’s too early to say the country is in a drought season but expressed his worries over the continued climate change.
“There is no drought yet, it is just climate change taking place. It’s too early to say we have reached the point of a drought period,” he said.
“Unpredictable rain patterns affect the farmer’s planning because they may not be able to choose the right methods of farming.
“It can be therefore noted that planning is very crucial to all farmers.”
Mr Chabikwa said in the event that drought is experienced, farmers should be prepared to plant small grains which are able to grow even in drought seasons.
“In the event that we experience drought farmers should also grow sorghum and millet as there are drought resistance.”
Mr Chabikwa also said there is no other means to fight climate change in farming except for farmers to make use of irrigation schemes.
He also urged farmers to resort to seeds which can grow faster since rain season are now short than they were before.
The Met Department however predicts that the country may experience rains in excess of 30 millimetres in the next 24 hours.
Climate change is a variation in whether pattern distribution over a sustained period.
Scientists believe it is a result of massive air pollution.
In 2013, the United Nations’ Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that scientists were 95% sure human activity is causing climate change.
While the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 obliges all signatory states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, bickering over apportioning global mitigatory measures between developing and developed countries is stalling progress.
In Southern Africa, a series of bizarre weather conditions associated with climate change have decimated Malawi agriculture with farming hubs battling to match previous output.
Namibia also suffered one of its worst droughts last year which halved food production.
In addition, Mozambique has faced constant threats of flooding and high temperatures.
Last year, Zimbabwe received normal to above normal rainfall and this helped increase maize production from 785 000 tonnes to 1, 4 million tonnes.
