Early rains agitate farmers

Early rains agitate farmers
By Ndinawe Simpelwe
Tue 04 Oct. 2011, 10:10 CAT

THE early rains experienced in some parts of the country have left some maize farmers fearing for their harvests. The farmers said they did not have proper storage facilities and feared that the rains would destroy the grain, most of which was still
in their possession. Emmanuel Chibwe, a farmer from Kasama said most storage facilities were still in a deplorable state and needed rehabilitation.

"The problem is that most farmers still have a lot of maize and the rains seem to have come earlier than expected. If it continues like this, then we will see some of the maize being destroyed by rain. The challenge is what to do with the maize before the rain intensifies," Chibwe said.

He said it was not possible for the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to buy all the maize from the farmers because it had its own challenges. Chibwe, who also runs a farmers' cooperative, however urged the new government to quickly look into FRA's challenges, especially by building new storage facilities and improving the existing ones.

The Meteorological Department of Zambia has described the rains that the country has experienced as an abnormal pattern.

ZMD revealed that normal rain was expected to start after October 10. Chibwe said farmers were now preparing for the new planting season and awaiting supplies under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).