Collins Nzovu, the Minister of Green Economy and Environment, has issued a stark warning regarding the prolonged dry spell currently affecting Zambia, highlighting its potential detrimental effects on agriculture productivity, water availability, and power generation.
According to Mr. Nzovu, the extended period of reduced rainfall is expected to have significant repercussions on agricultural activities. Crops such as maize, soya beans, and other staples are particularly vulnerable, as they require adequate moisture during crucial growth stages. The dry conditions may lead to water stress, wilting, and yield losses, ultimately impacting food security.
Addressing the National Assembly in a ministerial statement on the performance of the 2023-2024 rainfall season and the ongoing dry spell, Mr. Nzovu noted that the situation, observed since January 20, 2024, is likely to persist throughout February, particularly in the southern regions of the country.
Furthermore, Mr. Nzovu expressed concerns over the dwindling water levels in major reservoirs like Kariba, Kafue Gorge, and Itezhi-Tezhi. He warned that this could result in reduced power generation, leading to increased load shedding, energy shortages, and disruptions in the coming months unless the situation improves.
In response to the looming crisis, the government intends to issue a comprehensive report analyzing the impacts of the dry conditions on agriculture, food security, water, and energy. The report will include recommendations for targeted interventions aimed at supporting affected communities and mitigating adverse effects.
Mr. Nzovu also urged farmers to closely monitor weather updates and adjust their farming practices accordingly. He emphasized the importance of implementing water conservation measures such as mulching and proper soil management to optimize water usage, especially in areas experiencing rainfall deficits and low soil moisture levels.
Did you know why since Chiluba’s and yellow maize period FRA has always kept maize in reserves that can last us 3 years? It is because they from experience learnt the rainfall pattern. You came in to power and sold all the reserves to DRC. You made a lot of promises to Zambians as if you are in control of the weather and castigated ECL for power shortages when he talked about climate change. We are tied already of your stories. Zambians bless your selves for more suffering because whenever these demons open their mouths, their either increasing prices, talking about chorela, dead illegal miners or anticipated bad harvest or looming load-shedding. Nothing good comes from them. Very soon we will hear them blaming Lungu as if Zambians eat Lungu.
The meteorological department should have predicted this before farmers invested their little money into planting crops. Warning us when drought has already happened is not useful to us
The Met Dept misled the farmers by advising them to plate because according to them the were gonna be late and end late. When I was planting at start of November, passersby were advising me against. Happily my maize doesn’t any rains.
*to plant late
Why warn us? What a wrongly focussed government. Issued a stark warning ? issued a stark warning ? Its government’s job to prevent or prepare for the mitigation of disaster. To whom are you issuing a stark warning?
AS IF WE DONT ALEARDY KNOW THIS
YOU ARE MANY MONTHS TOO LATE
It was recognized from as far back as 1993 that the Southern part of Zambia could become as desert because of poor rainfall patterns. Some even said the Namib Desert was growing and that its effects will reach Zambia. The MMD proposed a water pipeline from Lake Bangweulu, being the only water body wholly owned by Zambia, to Southern province. The project didn’t materialize due to instability in the DRC. Due to the bad culture of abandoning everything done by other, no one knows where plans for this project lie gathering dust
The minister is a man of little faith. He does not believe in the power of prayer. We plenty man and women of GOD. Nevers Mumba, Sumaili, bishop Mpundu, Father Bwalya, Bishop John Mambo, Bishop John General and many more men of GOD. Let them pray for rains….surely it will come. Ba Minister have faith!!!!
Suppose you were an Olympic swimming champion and you saw a young boy of six years drowning in swimming pool and gasping for air. Would you wait for the boy to pray and sing praises to you before jumping in the pool in order to save his life or you would do it immediately? Why should people have to pray to the kind and great one for it to rain when the all-kind, all-knowing God who somehow cannot work out that people need rain? I hope I have caused no offence here. I have just asked simple questions that any rational person listening to the prayers of believers is expected to ask.
If Minister of the Environment & Green Economy doesn’t believe in the power of prayer to make it rain as you say, then we have a man who thinks the right thoughts in this portfolio. That of course does not stop the clergy from praying for rain and is neutral.
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If this drought persists……..
We will have load shedding and might have to import maize meal……..
So what ?
This has happened before,……..
this is not the end of the world…….
although the clique tribal supremacists would hope so…………just so they have a chance to loot and steal incase this GRZ collapsed………
Forward 2031………
Ok guys remember what I just said a few days ago when Energy Minister assured Zambians of no loadsheding….and already they’ve started moving the goal post…..so expect massive loadsheding this year……
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Go and urinate in kariba with the clique to raise water levels………
#Spaka why don’t you show us how to do it…. remember the dam quantities have been reducing but you used it for your fraudulent campaigns.
@Anonymous. You were 100% spot on…hardly 2 weeks after the empty suit Mapani released a very disjointed statement assuring people that plans were in place to avert any loadsheding, Nzovu says there will be loadsheding. I hope they know that there will not be any sustained rainfall for the next 4 to 5 weeks. What a bunch of useless id!0t$. SMH
At Manyumbi in Kabwe there was a toll plaza that took too long to finish. It had to take the intervention from the Chinese to bring to what it is today. A Zambian engineer was engaged to construct that structure and he failed. Now he’s in government helping the fixer to fix things
that thing took almost decade to finish if I’m not mistaken, what an inconvenience it was!
You mean he’s in government? Well that explains why he frustrated the progress of the project….. talk of being retired in national interest which some call tribal victimization.
Minister of energy just the other week guaranteed that there will be ni loadshedding even with the dwindling water levels as they have already made arrangements for power imports and yet this guy is contradicting his colleague by saying expect increased load shedding? You have now started to behave like PF chipante pante.