EDUCATE FARMERS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

Sir,

The time to start cultivating the land has finally come. We couldn’t wait any longer as the pandemic, COVID-19,  has taught us an unforgettable lesson. In most parts of the country, food shortage has vastly been experienced and citizens of this beautiful kingdom have had enough time to try and mitigate food shortages. 

Be that as it may, the biggest enemy our farmers have subsequently had to overcome is climate change. Had it not been for climate change, food shortages would be a thing of the past. This has adversely affected farmers who had wholeheartedly invested huge sums of their pennies with the hope that they would get profits in return. As a result, when the ploughing season comes most farmers become skeptical to start cultivating their land.

Consequences

The bread and butter fact is that not only commercial farmers have to bear the negative consequences of climate change, but also subsistence farmers, as they have also been awfully affected. It is a sad reality to see farmers buying maize yet they have land in abundance for growing a variety of crops. It is really sad!

Should farmers, more especially subsistence farmers, be given the chance to learn more about climate change? Maybe they will have the zeal and zest to start testing their soils. Most people in rural areas do not test their soils before the cultivation period. The results are observed when harvesting; the products become small for the available market or family members. In that way hunger is perpetuated among people.

Farmers would be in a position to determine the type of crop to be grown on that specific land, instead of throwing a dice with their hard earned cash when buying seed. They would be in a position to buy the correct seed for their soil types in order to realise the expected maximum outputs. 

Acquiring knowledge on climate change will result in farmers making informed decisions in as far as their farming is concerned. The right time to commence the farming process and many more other consequences of climate change can only be inculcated through educating farmers. Our government should be haste in implementing such decisions. People are tired of hunger!

Wakhe Simelane

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