Huge losses for local farmers as devastating drought persists

Despite some rain that fell in many parts of Limpopo during the past two weeks, farmers still fear that the devastating effects of the current drought. Many local farmers have described the drought as the worst in years and that its effects will be felt for a long time to come.

The looming drought was first experienced around December last year when the much-expected rains did not fall. Farmers were left in limbo and could not produce much, resulting in higher shortages of farm produce and skyrocketing prices. The president of the African Farmers Association of South Africa (Afasa) in Limpopo, Mr Tshianeo Mathidi, said that they were operating in the hope that rains would come.

"Most of our members are out of the business and have suffered the worst in years. We had hoped that this would be a short-term challenge, but it still persists even today. More than half of our members in the Nwanedi area are out of business. This resulted in hundreds of workers losing their jobs in these difficult economic times," he added.

Mathidi further said that the latest showers “were just a drop in the ocean, as rivers are dry and almost all the dams are running empty.” The level of the Nandoni Dam, one of the biggest dams in the province, is below 60%. "We are faced with a big challenge here, as lower water levels means that even boreholes are no longer producing water. Without water it simply means that we won't be able to make any production.”

He added that many of their members were struggling with the repayments of debts “and it stands to be seen if we will be able to start ploughing and planting this season," added Mathidi.

He urged livestock farmers to reduce their livestock on time and not wait for the worst to happen. "Government put aside an amount of more than R50 million as an intervention to the drought, but that is not enough as many farmers are affected. What we can do is to sell some of the livestock. Hundreds of livestock died that were supposed to have been sold and cover for other costs," he said.

Pastor Collen Nthangeni, who owns the Highwave Farm at Tswinga outside Thohoyandou said he lost more than 4 000 chickens as a result of the drought. “I lost more than a quarter of a million rand and was forced to close one of the plots I own, resulting in 12 job losses. We are only left with four employees and even though production is improving day by day, we are never sure as to what would happen and this makes us operate in fear and with caution,” he said.

Nthangeni called on the government to give support mostly to up-and-coming farmers who have no capital to revive their farming businesses.

Date:08 August 2016

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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