Published by the government of Zimbabwe
22 June 2009
editorial
Harare — Zimbabwe's detractors have over the years falsely claimed that the decline in the country's food production is a direct result of the land reform programme.
But there is evidence abound of climate change playing havoc with agriculture worldwide.
Two workshops held in Harare last week heard a refreshing affirmation on how climate change is negatively impacting on agricultural production in this country.
We have all witnessed how over the years temperatures have risen and rainfall has dropped as the country experienced more and longer droughts and increased crop failures.
In addition, natural disasters have also been more intense, with flooding in the Zambezi basin affecting Zimbabwe, Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, while pest outbreaks affecting both crops and livestock have become more frequent.
In fact, the Food and Agriculture Organisation has on record the effects of changing climatic conditions for Southern Africa in 2006.
The organisation cites the production of maize, the main staple in the region, having fallen short by 2,2 million tonnes owing to droughts in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa.
It has become apparent that unmitigated climate change will have global consequences -- adverse impacts on agro-ecological potential, water resources and food crises triggered by droughts.
It would be critical for the Government to include climate change to its policies, from agriculture to rural development, energy and trade.
Plant researchers and breeders also need to develop new varieties virtually in the changed environment in which they will be grown by farmers.
There is problem of farmers who are used to growing certain varieties but such varieties can no longer adapt to the new environment caused by climate change.
It is, therefore, important for farmers to be aware of the changing climatic conditions so they can more easily adapt to changes in weather patterns.
This entails changing the crops they plant, planting more crop varieties and practising soil and water conservation.
Adjustments should include development of crops that respond to higher temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations, shorter growing seasons and use of irrigation.
Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in the world endowed with both natural and man-made water bodies, which have the potential to help sustain crop production should rain-fed agriculture fail.
But what is lacking is the means of harnessing the water.
The signs of climate change have clearly manifested themselves worldwide through increasing food insecurity and plummeting agricultural productivity.
The signs are a warning to all, and we in Zimbabwe cannot afford to ignore them.
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Climate change influences the weather and the weather influences crops. So stating that food production is affected by climate change is stating the obvious.
Modern agriculture has made it possible however to produce food even under poor weather conditions. Maize varieties have been made drought tolerant. One needs to invest in soil fertility and avoid overgrazing. The farmer needs to plan carefully in order to spread his risk so he can produce food even with bad weather conditions. This is the way food crops are grown successfully in many sub-saharan countries. Think of Zambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe before land reform.
Modern farming can adapt to climate change but the government of the day needs to allow for this. Then there will be plenty food. Mark my words.