By Mvelo Mthiyane Zondo

FARMERS used to relying on animal draught power for tilling their fields, are in a dilemma because of the condition of their livestock as the animals are too frail to pull farming equipment.

The 2024/2025 farming season has just began and has seen most of the communal farmers resorting to Intwasa/Pfumvudza conservation farming to till their farm fields.

Practically this means less farming areas will prepared during this farming season because the livestock is too weak to be used as draught power while some succumbed to El-Nino-induced drought.

A snap survey conducted by Ilanga in two districts namely, Umzingwane and Gwanda South, revealed that most of the farm fields were still lying idle without any farming activity taking place.

Umzingwane Ward 7 councillor, Amanda Khumalo, said the persistent drought was impacting negatively the people’s livelihoods as they were no longer keen to till their fields.

“People have given up farming due to persistent droughts. The farming season has begun but the fields are not being prepared. For the past five years, the rains have been erratic such that people have lost hope in farming.

“However, as leaders we encourage them to be patient and keep hoping for the best. As it is better said in Ndebele proverb that ‘Akulahlwa mbeleko ngokufelwa’. God is the only answer to our problems,” said Cllr Khumalo.

Khuphukani Phuthi from Tshakambeba village said the majority had given up farming and were resorting to illegal mining along Umzingwane River.

“Farming is no longer practised here instead people are now into gold mining. People want to make fast cash through illegal mining then buy food instead of producing from their fields,” he said.

In Gwanda, Ward 15 Cllr Gilbert Ndlovu said their cattle were wiped out the drought hence they were failing to prepare their farming fields.

“We lost most of our cattle due to starvation hence people are failing to till their fields,” said Cllr. Ndlovu.

On the other side, Agritex is encouraging farmers to plant traditional grains which are drought-tolerant.