HARARE – Following the recent heavy rains that have been pounding Bulawayo, people have gone out in full force to till the land, and should the rains continue, this could have a huge impact on food security.
Almost every available space in Bulawayo has been cultivated as people make good use of the available moisture on the ground to produce their own food under the urban agriculture program that has yielded good results in years of good rains.
ZBC News observed that people were busy in the fields weeding following good germination of the crop and are optimistic of a good yield this year given the soaking rains that have fallen since the onset of the rainy season.
“This is a blessed year we have good rains and we are in the field to produce our own food.
“I am a bit concerned the rains are a bit more than what we thought we would get it may lead to leaching and we don’t have money for top dressing fertilizer so I am concerned.
“The price of maize meal is too high and we want to take advantage of these rains and produce our own food and stop buying then that money must go to other issues.”
Last year’s drought benefited the business community the most as they took advantage of the people’s plight and raised prices of basic commodities especially maize meal.
This year is however promising to be different due to a combination of factors that include the input support by the government under the Pfumvudza Intwasa programme, where beneficiaries were given seed, fertilizer and chemicals.
