Chairperson of the Mopani Farmers Association, Adam Mabunda, says that most members of his organisation have been affected gravely. “Some of our members have had their crops washed away. Especially vegetable production has been affected as they need sunshine to grow,” he said. He said that one of their biggest challenges is that they are not able to spray insecticides as the rain washes them away. “Insecticides are very expensive so farmers cannot risk wasting them.”
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As they wait for the rain to stop, red spiders and russet mites destroy the crops. He said: “This rain has left us disadvantaged, we have lost production, time, and money”. He further explained that due to a lack of resources and suitable vehicles, most farmers are unable to distribute their harvest to markets. Suzan Machete, a farmer in Mokwakwaila, told the Herald that the rain has halted her production. She said she is not able to plant; she was supposed to harvest in the first week of May.
Her poultry business is also suffering as the water gets into the chicken coops, posing a danger to the chickens. “The weather is also chilly, which is not ideal for the chickens. We are forced to make a fire to warm the chickens as electricity is not reliable.” Suzan said the fire has to be in a controlled area to make sure it is safe. “Finding dry wood is another challenge due to the wet conditions.” Meanwhile, Sipho Moagi, who runs a family farming business in the Nkowankowa area, has lost R30 000 in butternut production, which was badly damaged by the rains.
