HOPE RETURNS AS FARMERS EXPECT BUMPER HARVEST

MPOLONJENI – They had lost all hope after enduring two years of a severe drought but now some Lubombo farmers, in areas that were hard hit by the drought, have ploughed their fields again and are confident of a bumper harvest.

This follows the recent rainfall that has been received in many parts of the country since late last year. Cultivating fields that were unused at the height of the drought has brought a glimmer of hope for a good harvest.
The fields are green with maize plants and other crops like sweet potato, as the situation has almost normalised due to the recent down pour.

This publication visited some farmers under Mpolonjeni Inkhundla, which was one of the areas that were hard hit by the drought. Most farmers under this constituency took the risk and cultivated their fields when the first rains fell, at the start of the ploughing season last year.

It appears the risk they took will pay off as it has been raining in the past couple of weeks and this has brought hope of a good harvest. One such farmer is Daniel Vilakati, who is also a community leader. Together with other farmers, with whom they have an association, Vilakati said they ploughed maize and other crops in their fields around October last year. He said they took the risk while being cognisant of the fact that the drought could persist.
As a result, they only cultivated small plots. “Now that it is raining, I have also ploughed maize in my large fields near my home. If it was not for financial challenges, I would cultivate more fields,” he stated while standing next to some maize plants.

Vilakati said he was grateful to the Lord for bringing the rain, stating that as farmers, they were struggling to make a living during the drought. He lamented though that the rains came very late, after many cattle in his area had died due to the drought. 

Antoine Dlamini, another farmer, said the recent rainfall had reinvigorated his desire to plough other crops like sweet potato. He said looking as the way it was raining, he was confident that the rains would continue until April or May.
Meanwhile, Mpolonjeni Member of Parliament (MP) Jacob Siwela said most dams around his constituency were almost full following the recent rains. He said the vegetation around the area was also greener, better than how it was at this time last year, at the height of the drought. Siwela stated that some farmers in his constituency could not cultivate their fields because of financial challenges.

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