Prolonged Dry Spell Threatens Summer 2021/22 Crop
The prolonged current dry spell prevailing across the country is threatening the summer 2021/22 crop, with the fears that much of the crop will be a write-off if there is no meaningful rainfall activity in the next few days.
The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) projected normal to above normal rainfall in both the first and second half of the 2021/2022 cropping season but there has been no rainfall across much of the country for more than three weeks.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary John Bhasera said crops in Mashonaland East, Masvingo and the Midlands provinces need rainfall in the coming days to guarantee another good harvest. Said Bhasera:
The crops in the three provinces have started wilting and the situation is reported to be the same in other provinces that have not received rains for a long time.
We are hopeful and still positive that it will rain in the next few days so that we have another good harvest.
Bhasera was speaking in an interview with State media after the tour of the revived Mayorca irrigation scheme in Ward 5, Sessombe Village in Zhombe, Midlands Province.
The 76-hectare irrigation scheme, which has 76 members, was rehabilitated under the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP).
The Government partnered with the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) in the US$9.4 million scheme.