Limpopo Farmers Grapple with Heatwave and Drought
The agricultural sector in Limpopo is facing a crisis as the province battles the dual threat of a severe heatwave and ongoing drought.
The South African Weather Service warned of extremely high fire danger conditions in some parts of the country, including Northern Cape and Limpopo.
Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the Lephale and Modimolle-Mookgophong District Municipalities in Limpopo.
Agri Limpopo CEO Deidre Carter described the situation as “dire,” warning that many parts of the region are critically dry, with farmers growing increasingly desperate for relief.
Carter has urged farmers who have no resources to feed their livestock to sell the animals to avoid them starving to death.
ALSO READ : Phala Phala Theft Case Postponed to end of November
“One way to mitigate the effects of the severe drought was for farmers to auction their livestock. You either have to sell them while they are still in good condition or you have to buy fodder. You need to feed them,” she said.
She said not only emerging farmers were struggling but commercial farmers as well.
“Everyone struggles, but your commercial farmers would have put something aside to try to get through this period while the emerging farmers don’t have that luxury of putting things aside.”
She said some game farmers had to feed their animals throughout winter due to the drought.
“We had no rain since the beginning of January. We didn’t have any of the cyclones that you get coming from the Mozambique Channel in February or in March. Most of the rain usually comes in March.
She said it was dry throughout the province which was increasing the risk of veld fires. Areas like Lephalale, Giyani and Tzaneen were extremely dry and desperate for rain.
The deputy chairperson of the Black Agricultural Commodities Federation (BACF), Mike Gcabo, agreed the situation was bad, particularly for emerging farmers.
He said they were collecting data from farmers to quantify the extent and nature of losses. They had received a report from the Lephalale and Giyani regions.