Chinamasa acts on heatwave

Lincoln Towindo
Senior Reporter
Government has allocated an additional US$300 000 to cloud-seeding following forecasts of poor rainfall in the 2015-16 summer cropping season.
This brings the total funds channelled towards the programme to US$500 000.
Summer cropping will run from December 2015 to February/March 2016 as weather patterns become unpredictable due to climate change.
Traditionally, most of the southern African region receives significant rains between October and March.
In 2014-15, drought diminished grain output in Zimbabwe and other regional countries, with only Zambia producing enough to feed its population and export.
Government is not taking any chances this time around and thus intends to intensify cloud-seeding.
On the other hand, the irrigation schemes that are getting a fresh boost under Brazil’s US$38 million More Food for Africa Programme are expected to improve the country’s food security.
Boreholes are also being drilled in strategic A1 and communal farming areas.
Cloud-seeding is a form of weather modification that involves dispersing dry ice into the atmosphere to stimulate condensation and subsequently precipitation.
In his 2016 National Budget Statement, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said, “Indications are that different regions will fare differently, and it will be necessary that for planning purposes farmers monitor Meteorological Services Department weather updates as well as Extension Services Department advisory warnings on planting, crop maturing varieties and how to stagger planting to spread risks.
“This should guide farming operations, including choice of short season crop varieties, planting timings, application of fertilisers and pest control, all critical for effective crop yield benefits from the rainfall received within the forecast short summer cropping season.”
He added, “. . .This would benefit particularly farmers with limited access to irrigation, including those producing under the planned 1. 6 million hectares of land targeted for maize, and about 250 000 hectares for small grains, as I indicated in my July 2015 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review.
“On its part, the 2016 National Budget is also prioritising cloud-seeding, with US$200 000 having already been disbursed in support of a fairly wider programme. I propose to allocate a further US$300 000 for this purpose.”