Chronicle Editor
Stephen Mpofu
WHEN the colonisers presented maize as the break of a great new dawn to the African continent inhabitants of this country and others elsewhere abandoned their long time life-partners for the new sweethearts but without realising the short lifespan of the latter and to belly blows that we Zimbabweans continue to feel today due to global warming.
Yes, you (yes you) guessed right: today’s discourse is about the introduction of maize from South America to Africa by Portuguese explorers seeking a sea route to India and the far east and a development that caused many nations in Africa to abandon small grains which had sustained them for many, many years in favour of maize which brought them more lucrative prices on the market but with disastrous consequences.
Today Zimbabweans and other nations in Central and Southern Africa are reeling under hunger resulting from global warming-droughts after virtually ditching small grains such as sorghum, pearl-millet and rapoko in favour of maize which, unlike small grains, is vulnerable to droughts such as the one we are experiencing today and for the unforeseeable future after irresponsible human activities eroded the ozone layer that protects earth from dangerous rays of the sun and resulting in perennial droughts and crop failures across many countries.
As no one knows for sure what the future holds for humanity before this world of trials and tribulations is brought to an end by its creator, it behoves on the powers that be on our country and elsewhere to initiate bold new measures counteracting the disastrous consequences of global warming as we experience today in our country and elsewhere.
In mother Zimbabwe our second republic has embarked on providing irrigation facilities such as boreholes to grow food crops and save otherwise endangered human lives along with livestock used as draught power and sources of income to buy food and other necessities in addition to the education of children.
This communicologist also humbly believes that if people in the countryside are compelled by Government to also grow small grains, now frowned upon by peasants who previously survived severe droughts on those crops, Zimbabweans will come out triumphant over food shortages.
Right now a delegation from the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe is reportedly in Brazil negotiating the importation of yellow and white maize from that country this year right up to next year in a bid to alleviate hunger effects back home.
Such food imports are fine but only as long as they are not prolonged to suck out money that needs to be spent on the general development of our country.
In the meantime, our government should weigh in heavily against parents who marry off under-age daughters for proceeds intended to mitigate hunger effects in families.
The law must play its guardianship role in order for parents to seek better ways of feeding their families through more humane, self-reliant projects such as a return to small grains that have a long life sustenance rate in droughts than maize.
Online Reporter