The Environment Reporter
Agricultural experts have encouraged farmers in Matabeleland North to adopt small grain drought resistant crops that can survive effects of climate change.
The province is in agro-ecological regions 4 and 5 which traditionally receive less rainfall and has sandy Kalahari soils especially in Lupane, parts of Hwange, Nkayi and Tsholotsho which make crop farming difficult.
Only Lusulu in Binga, Matetsi in Hwange and Nyamandlovu have rich crop farming soils.
Farmers have been growing maize which hardly gives them meaningful yields.
Acting director for the agricultural advisory and rural development services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Dumisani Nyoni said farmers should expect less rains from what is predicted because already the province is dry.
“Rains this year will be less than what we are used to receiving according to weather forecast and this means that us in region 4 and 5 where rains are traditionally low, the situation will be worse.
“Climate change is taking its toll and it is time to adapt and migrate from traditional maize which usually does not give us anything to early maturity, short season varieties and small grains. We encourage those in Binga, Lupane, Tsholotsho, Bubi, Umguza and Nkayi where soils are acidic to take heed,” said Nyoni in an interview on the sidelines of Hwange Agricultural Show.
He said Lusulu areas and those communities bordering with Gokwe can grow maize as they receive better rainfall compared to other parts of Matabeleland North.
The province is also affected by wildlife which invade fields and destroy crops as human-wildlife conflict continues to affect communities. Animals stray from the Hwange National Park in search for food and water in human settlements.
Government is pursuing a climate proofed farming model where it is distributing free inputs to farmers and encouraging them to carry conservation farming.
