Agriculture Economist Edify Hamukale has encouraged farmers who have been affected by the dry spell in some parts of the country to plant drought resistant and early maturing crop varieties.


In a telephone interview with ZANIS in Chilanga Dr. Hamukale indicated that according to the weather forecast, the rains will start around December 20th and will be stable thereafter.



He said this provides a window of opportunity for farmers to plant early maturing maize varieties that are drought-tolerant.



Dr. Hamukale explained that despite the dry spell affecting the southern part of Zambia, all is not lost as half of the northern part of the country is experiencing normal rainfall, and the southern half can still plant early maturing crop varieties.



He also advised farmers to consider planting alternative carbohydrate sources such as cassava, sweet potatoes, and sorghum adding that these crops are more resilient to dry conditions and can provide a safety net for household food security.



Dr. Hamukale further suggested that farmers who have already planted can use solar panels to pump water from underground or surface sources to irrigate their crops in order to help prevent total crop failure.



He pointed out that the farmers should also postpone weeding and fertilizer application until the soil has sufficient moisture as this will prevent moisture loss through evaporation and transpiration.



“Despite the current dry spell being experienced in the half Southern part of the country, not all is lost because we have not reached the withering point which is 18 days of complete dryness,” observed Dr Hamukale.



“We are optimistic about the current agricultural season because all the climatic indicators are showing that we will have better rains this season compared to the previous season, therefore with careful planning and the use of drought-tolerant crop varieties, farmers can still achieve a decent harvest,” he said.