EDITOR – There are reports that the country is headed for another drought year again. The preliminary crop assessment report from the Ministry of Agriculture indicated that 15 percent of the food crops planted this season have been declared a complete write off following a prolonged dry spell.
Hence there is need for Government to prioritise the development of irrigation schemes to sustain the agricultural sector.
In the last two decades, the country has been experiencing erratic rains leading to drought and starvation. This could have been avoided had the Government set up preparedness strategies to avert drought.
Drought relief schemes including irrigation can help produce crop that can sustain the consumption levels of the country for a long time. This is a matter that requires close attention from both the farmer and the Government. Agriculture is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy which in turn is reliant on the unreliable rains.
Government should chip in with funding to help farmers set up irrigation schemes so that the country can have enough surplus to sustain the country and export.

Maita Nyambuya, Cranbourne