Zimbabwean farmers buckle under El Nino drought
Ladias Konje’s maize field in northeastern Zimbabwe is normally green at this time of the year, but it is already parched yellow.
The drought from the El Nino weather pattern has withered leaves, wilted cobs and raised the spectre of hunger for the 38-year-old and millions of others.
“On a good year we would be relying on fresh maize, pumpkins and groundnuts but there is nothing at all in the fields this time,” said the small-scale farmer.
More than 13 million people across southern Africa can’t put enough food on the table and the number is expected to surge in the coming months as the result of months of poor rains kick in, according to the United Nations.
In Zimbabwe, officials are urging people to tighten their belts as authorities scramble to find alternative food supplies.
Source Link : https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/world/zimbabwean-farmers-buckle-under-el-nino-drought/ar-BB1kcE1B
