Tinaye Agere
Theseus Shambare
Farmers must take advantage of the dry spell being experienced to prepare their fields and weed their crops to avoid potential challenges when the rains become continuous.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail on Wednesday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Professor Obert Jiri said continuous rains will not give farmers ample time to work in their fields.
“Imagine if it rains continuously. Farmers are not able to get into the fields. Tractors cannot get into the fields,” said Professor Jiri.
He highlighted the significant benefits of sun breaks for farmers, particularly in terms of field preparation and weed control.
“Farmers must take advantage of these sun breaks for those that have not prepared their fields to prepare and plant. This is also the right time to control weeds and apply herbicides,” he said.
The advancements in technology, Prof Jiri said, enable accurate weather forecasting, informing farmers on what operations to conduct in the fields.
“Now we know when it is going to rain. So it is dry now until 11 December. From the 11th onwards, the wet spell comes back again.
“The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has advised us that the temperature is going to be quite high, so when the rains come back, they will be violent and torrential in some places,” said Professor Jiri.
Online Reporter