16 May 2018

Tutume sub district will this year experience a decline in yields following high temperatures and late rains which resulted in floods damaging crops.

Briefing drought assessment team in Tutume on Tuesday, senior district officer- development Ms Lucy Shaka explained that a total of 7 700 hectares were ploughed by 2 600 farmers compared to over 25 000 hectares ploughed by over 8 000 farmers during the 2016/2017 ploughing period.

Ms Shaka said  that the drop in ploughed hectares was mainly due to insufficient rainfall encountered at the beginning of the ploughing season, resulting in some farmers getting discouraged to plough their fields as anticipated.

She further pointed out that analysis from crop production department in the district has shown that crops planted during the months of October, November and December 2017 were completely affected by scorching heat due to erratic rainfall.

However, she noted that some farmers with capacity who were affected by the situation managed to replant their fields. She further stated 500 hectares of ploughed fields were damaged by both elephants and floods in areas of Nata/Gweta and Nkange extension area.

Regarding crops damaged by floods, Zoroga was the most affected with over 300 hectares ploughed by 96 farmers damaged followed by Gweta at 145 hectares from 45 farmers and Tsokatshaa with 30 hectares.

Ms Shaka stated that such an outcome accounted to low yields anticipated at the end of this ploughing season of 2017/2018.

She also said the sub district was experiencing shortage of water to the extent that water was being bowsed to some villages such as Kutamogoree and Manxotai.

For his part, an official from WUC Mr Itorn Chembezi said they were experiencing a higher demand which surpassed what they could supply within the sub district.

He added that they were supplying water from Maitengwe and Dukwi well fields and in Maitengwe only eight of the 12 are running full time.

However he pointed out that in Kutamogoree and Mosetse the boreholes had completely dried up and they were bowsing water for the residents.

He nonetheless noted that with the planned North East-Tutume water supply from Ntimbale dam, they were anticipating that the situation would improve since they would incorporate some villages into the plan. Ends