The Small Scale Farmers Development Agency – SAFADA says about 15% of over 600, 000 rain dependent local farmers who have already planted their crops will have no option but to replant due to the dry spell currently being experienced across most parts of Zambia.
The dry spell that has continued into early December is causing anxiety among local farmers whose production is heavily dependent on rains and subsidized inputs from government. Most farmers ended up planting after a false start of rains which has now turned into a dry spell after planting had already been done.
SAFADA Executive Director Boyd Moobwe said government might need to assist the farmers who planted their crops as soon as the first rains came because the financial status of most local farmers who are the majority of the small-scale farmers cannot afford to replant.
Moobwe said the country had recorded bumper harvests for the past three seasons but now household food security is under threat as most farmers have sold everything harvested in the previous season, noting that, on a national level, government has assured the public that there are enough reserves.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Moobwe noted that there might be rains towards the end of this month as indicated by the metrology department but normally when farmers plant during the rainy season, they need to ensure they finish planting before January 15 therefore it is worrying that there is still no rain.
He said government should also assess how the continued dry spell will affect the country’s harvest next year in order to decide whether to continue exporting maize in the reserves or not because the weather pattern being currently experienced is not encouraging.
Moobwe has advised government to start planning what will happen in the next six months if the country does not have good maize yields.
“We had some rains the first week of November in some places like Chipata, Lundazi, Chibombo and Central province, so farmers were ploughing and planting hoping that the rains had started but unfortunately things have changed”, he said.
He mentioned that there is need to provide technical and financial assistance to farmers adding that extension officers need to be on the ground advising farmers on various issues including the effects of climate change, but farmers are only getting most of the information from the media.
Moobwe said it is unfortunate that farmers are just being told to wait and not being provided with more information.
“You can still plant and calculate to say the rains will come in 14 days time and the crop will germinate but farmers are not being told this, instead they are being told to wait. For how long because the season is only for three months for a crop to grow and mature”, he lamented.
The Ministry of Agriculture has announced the sale of a further 450,000 tons of maize, additional to the initial 450,000. But fears are growing that if the rainfall situation does not improve, the country may end up with a deficit which will make the staple food unaffordable for the majority.
Minister of Agriculture Mtolo Phiri is yet to issue a comprehensive statement on the way forward regarding continued exports in relation to the current dry spell. Moreover, some maize stocks from the 2020/2021 Agro season in the other nine provinces remain uncollected as only the Southern Province Ministry seems to have mobilize the army to mobilize and collect from his assigned region.
