AGRICULTURE
WANDILE SIHLOBO: Recent rainfall good news for maize and food security
Food security is a topical issue in many African countries, where maize is, by and large, the staple food. Kenya remains a net importer of maize following a harsh drought in the 2016-17 production season. The thin resources available in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe remain stretched as drought and fall armyworms threaten the production season. SA started the 2017-18 season on a bad footing. As I have highlighted in this column before, the difficulties were brought about by extreme dryness in the western sections of the Free State and the North West at the beginning of 2018. Fortunately, summer crop conditions have improved, albeit marginally, thanks to recent rainfall. In the week ending February 6, World Weather released its assessment on SA’s soil moisture, with the data showing that recent rainfall in the summer crop producing regions helped improve soil moisture, which bodes well for summer grains and oilseeds. Moreover, in its recent seasonal climate watch, the South African Weat...
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