Farmers in the dark
Monday, 22 October 2012 07:03
Senior Agriculture Reporter
MOST farmers have not yet received the interpreted versions of the 2012/13 weather forecast amid reports that Agritex officers are incapacitated to reach out to them. The Meteorological Department recently forecast that Zimbabwe would have a normal to below normal rainy season. The forecast has a lot of technical terms that makes it crucial for Agritex to convert it before issuing it to farmers.
Agritex has since received the forecast for conversion to allow farmers to use the information in their preparations. Farmers make use of the weather information in making important decisions such as choosing crop varieties and deciding on the time to start planting.
A senior Agritex official Mrs Morleen Mupandawana last week told farmers attending a meeting in Harare that her department was failing to effectively reach out to them because of transport challenges.
“We have to rely on partners to do most of our tasks because we do not have the means to travel to all the farming areas,” Mrs Mupandawana said.
“The problem is worsened by the fact that the majority of our extension staff is inexperienced and is still learning to convert weather forecasts to extension messages. We also need a lot of resources for the training of staff in this regard.”
Mrs Mupandawana said her department’s shortcomings created a gap in farmers’ knowledge of the climatic developments taking place in their different agro-ecological regions.
Labels: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, RAINFALL
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Hottest October since 1962: Met Office
Tuesday, 25 October 2011 00:00
Herald Reporter
ZIMBABWE yesterday experienced extremely high temperatures with so-me places recording up to 42 degrees Celsius, breaking the October record of 1962.
Yesterday, the Meteorological Services Department warned the public to be wary of these extreme temperatures and avoid heat stress and ext-reme dehydration.
The highest temperatures were re-corded in Lupane at 42 Degrees Celsius from 41 Degrees Celsius recorded in October 1962.
Rusape and Harare maintained their record of 35 degrees. Plumtree surpassed its October 1962 record of 38 degrees and reco-rded 39 and Tsholotsho had 42 deg-rees up from 39 recorded in 1962. Met Department director Dr Amos Makarau attributed the temperatures to a middle level high pressure centre that developed on Sunday.
The high temperatures, he said, were expected to continue for the next "few" days.
He said the hot weather was a result of high rates of evaporation and exposure to ultra-violet radiation.
"We strongly urge those who carry out outdoor activities to wear hats and stay in shades as much as possible.
"Farmers should carry out their farming activities early and stop by mid-morning," he said.
The weather expert said hot weather favoured mosquito breeding, hence the public should take necessary precautions.
He also urged the nation to take a lot of fluids to avoid dehydration.
Turning to the rainy season, Dr Makarau said although Zimbabwe receives rains in October, effective rains start in November.
"The first week of October saw a wet spell setting from the west."
Widespread moderate rainfall was received across the whole country.
"On the 1st (of October) Chinhoyi and Harare International Airport recorded 28mm and 13mm respectively. Marondera received 38mm, Chivhu 19mm and 13mm at Rusape on October 2," he said.
He said on October 3, Mutoko recorded 30mm, Chipinge 29mm and Lupane 17mm. Dr Makarau said his department would continue monitoring the situation and inform the nation on the latest developments.
Labels: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
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Meteorologist advises govt to confront poverty
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingston
Wed 05 Oct. 2011, 08:30 CAT
WE have to do something about poverty if we are to cope with the consequences of climate change, says a meteorologist. Southern Province meteorological officer Dr Daton Nanja in a presentation during the Zambia Meteorological Department Dissemination of the 2011-2012 Seasonal Forecast at Cabinet Office, said there should have been a well coordinated developmental programme on maize sheds as much of the crop had been soaked.
"Deaths in Africa where there is less climate information are higher than in other continents where information is available. We have to do something with poverty if we are to cope with the consequences of climate change," Dr Nanja said.
He said the ZMD had sufficient climate information and technology which the public should utilise.
"Climate change coupled with the increasing demand for food, fibre and fuel has the potential to irreversibly damage the natural resources on which the agriculture sector is dependent on with significant consequences on food security," Dr Nanja said.
He said a lot of sectors such as agriculture would have to cope up with climate change.
"I'm also to blame for the soaking of the maize as we should have warned the people that there would be showers, but they should have built better storage sheds," he said.
Dr Nanja said a lot of engineering works were so embarrassing that if there was to be a serious earth tremor reaching 5.6 on the Richter scale, a lot of buildings would fall.
Labels: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
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Don’t panic over rains – Met Department
TIME PUBLISHED - Tuesday, May 24, 2011, 2:19 pm
Farmers have been advised not to panic over the rains that have hit North Western and Copperbelt provinces in the last two days. North Western Province Meteorological Officer Kameya Manjomba explains that the rains have been caused by moist flow from Congo DR into Central parts of Zambia.
Mr. Manjomba, however, says the rains will not continue and the normal dry pattern will resume. He says Solwezi, Mwinilunga,and Zambezi Districts in North-Western Province recorded at least two milliliters of rains last week.
And Copperbelt Meteorological Officer Nason Phiri says the rains which were experienced in the region for three days were caused by a dark heavy cloud emanating from North Western Region.
And the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit DMMU on the Copperbelt Province says there has been no damage to infrastructure and crops following the unusual rains recorded in the province.
DMMU Copperbelt Coordinator Hambayi Mweetwa says his office has not received any reports of crop damage.
Mr. Mweetwa says that a house in Chifubu area of Ndola collapsed because the owner was using the roof top as a storage bin.
[ ZNBC ]
Labels: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, RAINFALL
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Zim to take part in African meteorology meeting
Wednesday, 27 April 2011 22:39
Agriculture Reporter
ZIMBABWE will participate at the inaugural Bureau of African Ministers Conference on Meteorology meeting to be held in Kenya from 28-29 April.
The meeting is aimed at addressing issues of national disasters triggered by weather changes. In an interview before leaving for Kenya yesterday, World Meteorology Organisations Africa Region vice president, who is also the Zimbabwe Meteorological Services Department director, Dr Amos Makarau, said the meeting would focus on strategies to deal with natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, floods, droughts and tsunamis.
It would also deal with matters relating to the provision of early warning systems.
Dr Makarau said that Zimbabwe was appointed by Meteorological Services of Africa to assist other less developed countries vulnerable to disasters hence the need to assist and provide information on early warning services.
"Critical issues such as International Civil Aviation Organisation requirements will be on the agenda in terms of the progress made by African countries in implementation so that airplanes can land in the various countries.
"The International Civil Aviation Organisation stipulates that all meteorological services to the civil aviation should be ISO rated and certified by November 2012 in terms of safety management, training, surveillance systems, equipment, infrastructure and operational procedures," he explained.
Doctor Makarau also said terms of reference for the African continent would be defined at the meeting.
The African Ministers Conference on Meteorology was formed last year and held their first meeting in April 2010 in Arubi, Kenya. It was designed to assist the visibility of met services in their own countries given the strategic role the met department plays in socio economic development of countries especially in transport, aviation, agriculture, health, water, energy and environment.
The Bureau comprises five countries from African region and Zimbabwe as the second vice chair represents Sadc.
Meanwhile, Dr Makarau has also urged the government to speed up the licensing of radio stations to enable them to set up community radio stations in the country.
He said his department was waiting for the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe to give them the nod to open up community radio stations in identified areas.
Dr Makarau said they had identified three communities that include Mashonaland Central, the Midlands and Matabeleland South Provinces where they wanted to set up the local stations as pilot projects.
They will be operating in local languages to enhance met service delivery and plans are underway to open more stations countrywide.
He said the community radio stations' objective would be to disseminate information on developmental issues as well as weather patterns and other important met information.
Dr Makarau said the illegally imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe by some of their suppliers had not stalled the progress of setting up radio stations given the fact that they had managed to circumvent the impact of sanctions by engaging other partners.
"Negotiations are underway with other development partners on funding and procurement of equipment," he said.
Labels: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
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Met Dept sees reduction in rainfall
By Florence Bupe
Thu 25 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE Zambia Meteorological Department has projected a general reduction in rainfall activities in most parts of the country from today through to the weekend.
In an interview, ZMD chief meteorological officer Chizgange Ngwira explained that
the moist Congo winds that had been responsible for increased rains in most parts of the country, including Western, Lupaula and North Western provinces, were slowly shifting and would no longer be the main influence by the weekend.
Over the last few days, Western, North Western, Copperbelt and Luapula provinces have recorded significant incidences of rain, with cloudy conditions prevailing.
“From Thursday, we expect a general reduction in rainfall activities in most areas, and by weekend we expect even a further reduction. We will be able to determine the rainfall activity for the period after the weekend at a later stage,” said Ngwira.
And the government has indicated plans to establish marine meteorological services at Kafulafuta and Nansanga farm blocks under the 2011 budget allocation.
The government has also disclosed plans to launch and implement the Meteorology Policy.
Labels: CHIZGANGE NGWIRA, METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, RAINFALL
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FRA purchases 750,000 metric tonnes of maize - Mwanaumo
By Florence Bupe in Mumbwa
Tue 19 Oct. 2010, 14:50 CAT
THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has so far purchased over 750,000 metric tonnes of maize countrywide valued at K983 billion kwacha. During a tour of storage sheds in Mumbwa district yesterday, FRA executive director Dr Anthony Mwanaumo said the agency had accelerated maize purchases in view of the nearing closure of the maize marketing season.
"As at last Friday, we had purchased 756,011 metric tonnes of maize valued at K983 billion and we have so far paid K679.9 billion. We have also bought 1,199 metric tonnes of rice valued K1.8 billion, all of which has been paid," he said.
Dr Mwanaumo also lamented the challenges being faced in storing maize bought from the farmers.
He said the agency still did not have the capacity to store the high tonnage of maize that the country had recorded.
Dr Mwanaumo, however, assured that FRA was instituting measures to ensure that maize grain was secured before the rains spread.
The 2010 crop marketing season will be officially closed on October 31 following a one month extension from the September 30 annual closing date.
And Dr Mwanaumo has disclosed that significant progress had been made in securing export markets for Zambian maize. Dr Mwanaumo said the agency had received inquiries from Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) has predicted increased rainfall activity towards the end of this month.
ZMD chief meteorological office Chizgange Ngwira said in an interview that most parts of North Western, Western and Luapula provinces had over the last few days recorded significant rainfall activities.
Labels: ANTHONY MWANAUMO, FRA, METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
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ZMD urges sheltering of grain as Luapula records rains
By Florence Bupe
Tue 12 Oct. 2010, 14:20 CAT
THE Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) has warned grain traders to secure their produce as rains in some parts of the country have been recorded.
In an interview, ZMD chief meteorological officer Chizgange Ngwira disclosed that some parts of Luapula Province had recorded about two millimeters of rain in the last two days.
“Over the next few days, we expect the extreme parts of North Western and Luapula Provinces to experience thunderstorms and rain. We are concerned that produce that has not been secured may go to waste,” Ngwira said.
“It is important that grain is stored in storage sheds or covered with tarpaulins before an increase in rainfall.”
And Ngwira has said most parts of the country would continue experiencing high temperatures, but explained that the prevailing weather was within the normal range.
Temperatures have been recorded between 35 and 42 degrees Celsius.
Ngwira explained that the prevailing high temperatures were a result of low wind levels, which help cool the atmosphere by acting as a ‘fan’.
“In the recent past, we’ve hardly had any wind and this has resulted in the hot weather conditions we’re currently experiencing,” he said.
Ngwira further disclosed that the meteorological department had approached the owners of the electronic display board at Lusaka’s Addis Ababa roundabout that was reflecting wrong temperature readings for Lusaka.
He said the department had received concerns from members of the public over the temperatures that had sometimes been showing as high as 57 degrees Celsius.
“What happens is that around midday, the figures go up but that’s a misrepresentation. We have already approached the owners of the display and they have assured us that they’ll get in touch with the manufacturer,” said Ngwira.
Labels: CHIZGANGE NGWIRA, METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, RAINFALL, ZMD
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Met dept projects dry spell over most parts of Zambia
By Florence Bupe
Thu 11 Mar. 2010, 07:50 CAT
"Much of the country, including Lusaka, Central and Western Provinces, would continue to experience dry weather patterns" THE Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) has projected a dry spell over most parts of the country during the current dekad (10-day period) to March 16, 2010.
In an interview, ZMD acting director Jacob Nkomoki disclosed that an anti- cyclonic flow over Botswana was affecting Zambia’s weather pattern.
“We currently have an anti-cyclonic flow over the Botswana area and that is bringing in dry weather over much of the country, especially Lusaka and the western parts of Zambia,” he said.
Most parts of the country had in the last dekads experienced excessive rainfall, which resulted in destructive floods over some areas.
Sinazongwe district was the worst hit with most infrastructures damaged during the heavy rainfall period.
Nkomoki said much of the country, including Lusaka, Central and Western Provinces, would continue to experience dry weather patterns, while parts of Luapula, Northern and Eastern Provinces would record rains.
“What the current weather pattern implies is that we will have sunny conditions over much of the country, but as we progress we expect the Copperbelt and North Western Provinces to start experiencing rains,” said Nkomoki.
Nkomoki predicted increased temperatures over the areas that will have no rainfall activity, but could not immediately give exact figures.
Labels: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, RAINFALL
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ZMD predicts good harvest
By Fridah Zinyama
Fri 26 Feb. 2010, 08:00 CAT
THE ZAMBIA Meteorological Department (ZMD) has stated that most of the maize crops have reached grain filling and full ripeness stages and the water requirements have been met. And the department stated that an unstable north westerly airflow would affect most parts of Zambia from February 20 to 28 this year.
According to the crop weather bulletin, this signifies a likelihood of a good harvest this season.
“However, in Southern Province, the late planted crops in poor sandy soils have not performed well especially those in Kazungula district but with the expected favourable weather conditions in the next dekad, most crops are expected to improve,” the bulletin stated.
The bulletin also revealed that crops along the streams in Sinazongwe had been washed away by excessive flash floods which prevailed during the dekad.
“And some floods have been reported in some parts of Zambezi district, Lusaka and Senanga have been experiencing some flash floods,” the bulletin stated. “However, no reports of damaged crops have been received.”
The bulletin further stated that the whole country was expected to be mainly cloudy with rains in places during this dekad and heavier falls were expected to occur over Western, North Western provinces and the southern districts of Eastern Province.
Labels: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, RAINFALL, ZMD
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Met dept projects more rainfall over S/Province
Written by Florence Bupe
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 9:10:03 AM
THE Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) has projected increased rainfall activity over the Southern Province as the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) oscillates over the central and southern parts of the country.
Southern Province senior meteorological officer Munalula Mate stated that heavy rainfall was expected over the western and eastern parts of the province.
The seasonal cumulative rainfall so far indicates normal to above normal performance, but Siavonga and Namwala districts have over the last few days experienced a dry spell which has adversely affected crop performance.
“The seasonal rainfall indicates normal performance over most parts of the province with Munyumbwe, Maamba and Chipepo acquiring the highest surplus of 54 per cent, 26 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively,” he stated.
Labels: INTERTROPICAL CONFERGENCE ZONE, METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, MUNALULA MATE, RAINFALL, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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