By SYLVESTER MWALE –
ABOUT 36 per cent of more than 192,500 hectares of maize in Central Province have been damaged beyond redemption due to the prolonged dry spell,” according to a preliminary report seen by the Times.
Like many parts in the southern half of the country, Central Province has witnessed nearly one month without significant rain in much of the region’s 11 districts.
Most cereals, particularly maize are at mid-vegetative and tussling stage of development, but lack of rain has seen premature drying up of the crop in all the districts, except for Chitambo and some parts of Mkushi and Serenje.
There has been little or no rain in most parts of the province since last Christmas, with Kabwe recording just nine millilitres this month compared to 398.2mm received in the same period last rainy season.
According to a preliminary report obtained by the Times in Kabwe, Ngabwe is the most affected district where 60 per cent of maize in 1,000 hectares that was planted has been lost followed by Chisamba with 50 per cent loss of the 28,220 hectares.

Apart from maize, soya beans is the second most affected crop with a 29 per cent damage by the extreme weather conditions while cassava is the least lost crop at two per cent of the planted 3,165.5 hectares.
“It should be noted that very little rain, if any, has fallen since December 25th (2017) in most districts of the province and that some of the maize crop in the field has started drying up prematurely,” reads the report in part.
“In Mkushi District, for example, no effective rains have so far been received in the last three weeks. The fall army worm has also contributed to the poor state of the crop, especially in districts like Mumbwa.”
The report stated that although a crop forecast survey would be needed to ascertain the expected losses more accurately when most of the crop would reach physiological maturity, the current damage was already evident.
It further noted that the low redemption levels under FISP had generally contributed to the expected poorly cultivated areas and poor output due to reduced input access levels by many small-scale farmers.
The Government needs to undertake a scientific crop forecast survey in due course as well as accelerate promotion of water-harvesting and irrigation technologies among small-scale farmers.