Northern farmers bemoan delayed, erratic rainfall

Chakalisa Dube | Monday February 6, 2023 06:00

Fighting on: Kehitile planted last year and this year as a way of managing the mid-season dry spell. He also hopes to invest in irrigation going forward

In September last year, the Department of Meteorological Services predicted that the country would experience good rains.

The rains were to take place for the better part of December going into January this year. Farmers responded positively and planted impressive hectares of various crops in anticipation of a bumper harvest.

But much to the shock of the farmers, the rains have not been significant since December.

Dukwi resident and councillor Thatayaone Kehitile is among those who have been sent into panic mode by the lack of rainfall. After years of not experiencing a bumper harvest owing to the unpredictable rainfall, he was hoping that this year would be a very positive one.

Last December, Kehitile, who sells most of his produce, planted four hectares of sorghum as well as two hectares each of maize and lab lab (a stockfeed) respectively. But most of the seeds he has planted are yet to germinate because of the delayed rains. A few seeds that have germinated are now dormant as a result of a lack of rainfall.

“I was hoping that the first rains would fall by late December but that has not been the case,” he tells Mmegi. “It has been frustrating.”

Kehitile maintains that for years, farmers in the area have been in a precarious position because of unreliable rainfall patterns.

“My frustrations mirror that of most of the farmers in the northern part of the country. “For over five years we have struggled to get a proper harvest due to late or poor rainfall. “We are now doing farming for passion. “Some have decided to suspend growing crops. They were demoralised and it was no longer lucrative. “There was no return on investments.”

Kehitile is, however, not giving up. Early this year, he planted another four hectares combining lab lab and maize.

“My hope is that there will be rain soon and the hectares I have planted this year will do well. “It is a gamble,” he says with a heavy bout of optimism.

The arable farmer, who is also the Tutume District Council chairperson, recommends that government comes up with the necessary policy interventions to counter unreliable rainfall.

“From a personal perspective, I think government should encourage farmers to form clusters, then survey, and drill boreholes for them. “Farmers should then bear the costs of equipping the said boreholes,” he says.

He adds: “Currently, the government only supports role farmers by equipping their respective boreholes. “Equipping boreholes is cheaper than drilling and surveying. “Most farmers can’t afford the latter exercise. “That is why I believe that government should change its approach and bear the costs of surveying and drilling.”

Organisations such as Tonota, Tutume, Masunga (TOTUMA) Arable and Commercial Farmers Association recently urged the government to support farmers by surveying and drilling boreholes for them to mitigate against water challenges posed by unreliable rainfall.

The other suggestion by Kehitile is that farmers should now start prioritising drought-resistant crops in a bid to counter the unreliable rainfall.

“If they do not change their approach their frustrations will not cease,” he says. “I am in the process of transitioning into irrigated farming because it is sustainable and lucrative. “Rain-fed farming is not the future because of factors beyond us such as challenges posed by climate change.”

Another Dukwi farmer, Chief Tsholofelo, has also become increasingly discouraged by the lack of rain.

Tsholofelo has been planting every year since 2009, for both home consumption and sale. This year however he is yet to commence ploughing his 12-hectare farm, on which he generally prefers to grow lab lab, maize, and sorghum.

The reason he is yet to do anything at his farm is that in recent years he has had to bear the anguish of not harvesting enough as compared to the resources invested.

“My hopes were very high when I heard that there would be good rains from December (last year). “But after a thorough assessment, I decided to delay ploughing. “I was very doubtful that there would be good rains. “I am not certain that I will plough this season. “I am still assessing the situation but it is not promising,” he said.