By Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI-Traditional leaders in the Lowveld have sent distress calls to government and Non-Governmental Organizations for food aid, as the region is already experiencing acute food shortages due to the El Nino-induced drought.
The Lowveld, which is in Climatic Region 5 being popularly known for the production of small grains including Sorghum and Millet and receives rainfall not above 650 mm annually this year had the usual small grains yield affected by the drought before blooming.
Chief Tshovani, born Edmore Mundau told TellZim News that everyone in his Chiefdom was currently in need of food assistance as nobody successfully harvested.
“Nobody harvested well here, even the small grains we used to harvest over the years failed to bloom. I once talked with the District Development Coordinator (DDC) that everyone needs assistance,” said Chief Tshovani.
He also said that they were pinning hopes on the community irrigation, Tshovani Irrigation Scheme, which recently had halted irrigation due to defunct water pumps.
“The irrigation is now up and running though it had defunct pumps over the past few days, but we can’t wholly rely on it as the situation is quite serious,” he added.
Chief Chilonga, born David Ben also expressed the same sentiments that people yielded nothing from the fields this season and that everyone needed assistance.
“We harvested nothing here and everyone will soon be needing assistance from the government. I hope that everyone will get the help like the President said when he declared this year’s drought a state of emergency.
“At Chilonga Irrigation scheme, we are currently having water challenges and pumps which broke down here and there. Our dam no longer holds water for a long time, though we have something in the irrigation scheme but if water challenges persist they will also dry soon,” said Chief Chilonga.
In Chiredzi South, most farmers never sowed any seed as they did not get sufficient water to do so. Over the years, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) was always flooded with sorghum from the communal lands of Chiredzi.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently declared a state of National Disaster over drought he said there was need for US$2 billion to tackle hunger which was caused by El Nino which wiped out half of the farmers’ yields.
Over the years, the Lowveld has been sustaining drought due to the production of small grains including sorghum and millet which bailed out most farmers and the whole district during times of hunger.
This year, the district is in limbo due to El Nino induced drought as the small grains did not get an opportunity to bloom during the 2023/24 farming season.
