By Vincent Nhlema
Farmers are now looking back at the 2021/22 farming season, which faced a number of challenges, with delayed rains standing out for most farmers who depend on rainfed production. Almost the whole country experienced late onset of rains, sending panic to farmers whose livelihoods depend on rainfed production.
Steven Gama, a farmer from Kasungu experienced an unusual season due to high temperatures that affected his crops. His maize crop wilted dried at the start of the season to do dry spells, despite late onset of rains.
Dyna Mangapi from Mulanje, is another farmer who is reeling from the negative effects of climate change. She lost chilli crop right at nursery beds due to prolonged dry spell which meant she could not transplant in the absence of rains. By the time the rains came, the seedlings were beyond the transplanting stage.
These are few of the many examples of how delayed onset of rains affected farmers in the 2012/22 farming season.
The case was however, different for those with alternative source of water. Their production calendar went to plan despite the late onset of rains.
