Relief beckons in upcoming rain season
Friday, September 06, 2024 | 990 Views |
Better days: Most parts of the country are due to receive normal to above-normal rainfall
All indications are that after the disastrous “Hell Nino” of 2023-24, farmers and the nation at large will breathe a sigh of relief in the upcoming cropping season.
Regional meteorologists put their heads together in Harare recently for their annual pre-season gathering where SADC-wide forecasts for the summer cropping season are developed. Each country is now fine-tuning its own forecasts from the broader findings developed at the regional gathering.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...