11 May 2026

The severe flooding experienced in Pandamatenga did not dampen farmers’ commitment whom have 38908 hectares of crops.

Department of Crop Production agronomist for Pandamatenga commercial farmers, Ms Emeliah Magosi says while this year’s hectorage will slightly decrease from last season’s 41 000 hectares, it is an achievement following a period of extreme climatic challenges.

She said in an interview that the region recorded over 1 000 millimeters of rainfall, with non-stop downpours throughout January and February, which brought operations to a standstill.

Ms Magosi said these conditions forced a delayed planting window, stretching from late February into the first week of April.

Despite the late start, Ms Magosi highlighted the dedication of the farming community, who opted to replant flood-damaged areas, which pushed the total hectorage far beyond the initial target of 31 000 hectares.

She noted that because last year was a bountiful year, significant quantities of sorghum and beans remained in storage hence farmers pivoted from planting more sorghum to sunflower, maize and barley to avoid market saturation.

“Farmers feared overproducing sorghum and beans while silos were still full therefore they increased sunflower and barley production to meet international demand,” said Ms Magosi.

Moreover, she said this move was supported by a partnership with a local cooking oil manufacturer, who approached the farmers to secure a steady supply of sunflower seeds.

She alluded that farmers lost a lot financially due to combined costs of lost seeds, intensive weed management, and expensive pest control measures that were exacerbated by the floods.

Ms Magosi stated that to mitigate future flood risks, the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture together with local farmers were prioritising critical infrastructure upgrades within the Pandamatenga area.

“Following this year’s record-breaking rainfall, farmers have formally requested the development of an additional drainage network to handle higher water volumes,” Ms Magosi.

Furthermore, she pointed out that farmers had urged the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture to coordinate with the Department of Roads to expand the western culvert because its widening would allow excess water to flow seamlessly away from the fields, preventing the catastrophic waterlogging experienced earlier this season.  ENDS