http://allafrica.com/stories/201209050184.html


Zimbabwe: Meteorological Department Forecasts Severe Drought in Parts of Zimbabwe


By Elita Chikwati, 5 September 2012


ZIMBABWE is expected to receive normal to below normal rainfall during the 2012/13 farming season, Meteorological Services Department officer Mr Jephias Mugumbate has said.

However, some parts of Matabeleland South, Midlands and Masvingo provinces are expected to experience severe drought.

Presenting the national climate outlook at a stakeholders' forum in Harare, Mr Mugumbate said regions 1 and 2 would receive normal to above normal rains, while region 3 was expected to receive normal to below normal rains.

The country is divided into three regions, which differ slightly for the period October, November, December (OND) and for January, February and March (JFM).

The first half is the OND and the last one is the JFM.

"Region one comprises Mashonaland and North of Manicaland while region two comprises Matabeleland North.

"The two regions will both receive normal to above normal rains throughout the season that stretches from October 2012 to March 2013.



"Region three consists of South of Midlands, Masvingo and Matabeleland South provinces and will receive normal to below normal rainfall from October 2012 to March 2013.

This 2012/13 rainfall season is different from the 2011/12 rainfall season, which started late and was characterised by normal to below normal rains in the first half of the season.

Normal to above normal rains were forecast during the second half of the 2011/12 season.

Stakeholders attending this year's national climate outlook expressed concern over region 3 which they said did not look good in terms of rainfall expected.

National Early Warning Unit representative Mrs Tambu Pasipanodya advised farmers in Mashonaland, North of Manicaland and Matabeleland North to plant long season varieties early while those in Masvingo, Matabeleland South and South of Midlands were urged to concentrate on small grains.

Participants at the function said already, people and livestock in region three were facing acute food shortages with livestock being moved to conservancies.

Some farmers were now buying supplementary feeds for their livestock. Experts advised farmers in region 3 to practise intensive farming. They said feeding livestock on supplementary feeds or moving them into conservancies was not the best solution to the problems as animals could contract zoonotic diseases.

Any disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans and vice-versa is classified as a zoonotic. It was also suggested that irrigation facilities in region 3 be rehabilitated if people were going to produce crops.

The Civil Protection Unit said it would carry out awareness campaigns on floods, lightning and storms starting September 23 as the department was now aware of what would happen.

Meteorological Services Department director Dr Amos Makarau said the outlook was a guiding tool for decision-makers such as Agritex, Civil Protection Unit, policy makers and non-governmental organisations.

"The outlook will enable authorities to plan their operations and enable end users such as farmers to make informed decisions," he said.