BY OBERT SIAMILANDU
GOVERNMENT has advised farmers to switch to short season seed varieties in response to climate change-induced unpredictable rainfall patterns.
This follows reports that crops planted early are wilting and others not germinating due to excessive heat.
Permanent secretary in the Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement ministry John Basera told NewsDay that the situation was extremely bad.
“We urge farmers to switch to medium or short-term maturity varieties considering the current unpredictable rainfall patterns,” Basera said.
Zimbabwe has a long history of droughts, which have cumulatively caused an increase in poverty levels.
Droughts often result in crop failure, loss of livestock and wildlife and power outages.
In August, southern African climate experts predicted a normal to above normal rainfall in the 2021-2022 summer cropping season over most parts of the region.
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The country’s worst drought happened in 1992.
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