Good news for farmers! Normal to above normal rains expected for 2024/2025

ZIMBABWE and other Southern African countries are set to receive normal to above normal rainfall in the 2024/25 farming season, according to regional weather experts.

This forecast has brought hope of improved agriculture production and better food security for the coming year, energising farmers who are already preparing their land and the Government that has started distributing inputs to Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots across the country.

The experts have advised farmers in drier regions of Matabeleland and other parts of the country to plant traditional grains suitable for their climatic conditions.

Despite normal to below-normal rains from October to December, the season is expected to change to normal to above normal between January and March next year.

This positive projection was revealed by meteorologists during the 29th Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-29), held from Monday to yesterday, bringing relief to the region that has been severely affected by drought in the past rainy season.

Zimbabwe has been classified under ‘Zone 2’ for increased chances of normal to below-normal rainfall from October to December and normal to above-normal rainfall from November to March just like Central DRC, northern Zambia, eastern Malawi, Tanzania, and parts of Mozambique.

Farmers and livestock owners are being advised to prepare, apply lime, dig holes and vaccinate their animals to contain the situation.

In a statement, SARCOF-29 said the forecasted probabilities were broadly consistent with the known influence of La-Niña on the regional climate, shifting from the devastating El-Nino weather phenomenon.

This comes as a relief as the region is emerging from one of the worst droughts following low rainfalls in the 2023/24 rainy season. “The bulk of the SADC region is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for most of the period of October to December 2024, including Mauritius and central Madagascar, apart from the north-western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo where above-normal rainfall is expected,” reads the statement.

“The remainder of the region is likely to have normal to below normal rainfall during this period of the 2024/25 season, including the island states of Comoros and Seychelles.

“The period January to March 2025 is expected to have normal to above normal rainfall for most of the region except for, the south-western fringes of South Africa, south-eastern and westernmost of DRC, north-western Angola, Tanzania, northern Zambia, northern Malawi, northern Mozambique and central western tip of Madagascar where normal to below-normal rains are expected, including Comoros and Seychelles.”

Accordingly, during the period November to March, Zimbabwe together with Zambia, Botswana, most of Namibia, western Malawi, central to southern Mozambique, Eswatini and north-eastern South Africa are expected to receive normal to above normal rainfalls.

Agricultural Rural Development and Advisory Services (ARDAS) Matabeleland South acting provincial director, Mr Mkhunjulelwa Ndlovu, welcomed the weather prediction as a positive guide for farmers ahead of the cropping season.

“However, what is important is for farmers to follow agro-ecological matching and in the Matabeleland region we encourage farmers to plant traditional grains as part of the climate-proofing methods,” said Mr Ndlovu.

He said traditional grains tend to do well in the hot climatic weather conditions of the Matabeleland region as they can grow with minimum moisture absorption compared to maize.

Mr Ndlovu said farmers should start land preparation, including applying lime, digging Intwasa/Pfumvudza holes, as well as digging contours to prevent runaway water.

“As a directorate, we are busy registering farmers so that they are added into an application, which will be used for the distribution of inputs,” he said.

“We are doing this to ensure that we guard against cases of abuse, especially during the distribution of inputs. So, we are encouraging farmers to prepare their plots,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Meanwhile, the Government has committed to providing food assistance to food-insecure households until the next harvest in March.

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday in Harare, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, provided the 2023/2024 Summer Crops Marketing and Food Security Outlook of March 2025 and the 2024 Winter Cereals Plan.

He said Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, made the presentation indicating that by March next year, 6,2 million of the rural population will require assistance.

“Taking into consideration the rural population requirements to March 2025 and the school feeding programme to April 2025, the maximum amount of grain required is 464 608,54 metric tonnes,” he said.

“Current stocks in the strategic grain reserve, comprising wheat, maize and traditional grains are at 264 246 metric tonnes, excluding 32 314 metric tonnes imported by the Government to date.

“The 200 362,54 metric tonnes shortfall will be met from the winter wheat harvest surplus on the national annual requirement estimated at 240 000 metric tonnes, as well as additional Government grain imports estimated at 300 000 metric tonnes.”

Dr Muswere said the Government will accelerate depot-to-depot grain movement from August to October distributions. To ensure food availability and price stability, he said GMB is now operating 50 agro-shops, supported by 12 hammer mills mostly in rural areas and peri-urban depots.

“The commodities sold at these agro-shops include mealie-meal, sugar, rice, salt, flour, soap and cooking oil. Silo Foods’ complementary products include coffee, bran, dried kapenta, flour, grits, maize meal, salt, silo samp and traditional mealie-meal,” he said.

Dr Muswere said the private sector is expected to import all stock-feed requirements until March next year.

“To date, 567 160 metric tonnes have been imported. Import permits worth 1,8 million metric tonnes of maize are active. Regarding the Winter Cereals Plan, 121 982 hectares of wheat, 2 100 hectares of maize, 3 732 hectares of potatoes, 6 449 hectares of barley and 3 000 hectares of seed wheat were planted.

“The wheat-based food security strategy is, therefore, sufficiently robust to meet our needs to March 2025,” said Dr Muswere. — @nqotshili