Cisanet calls for solidarity on floods
The Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet) has commended government for acknowledging effects of floods in many parts of the country and moving in swiftly to help victims.
Cisanet national director Tamani Nkhono-Mvula noted that the move has not only increased awareness about the crisis, but also triggered swift responses from donors and the international community.
While appreciating government’s overall support towards the victims, Nkhono-Mvula said there is need to come up with measures that could help avert a looming hunger crisis in the affected areas as people have lost the means to produce.
“We understand that the immediate concern to us all is to save the lives that are in danger, by providing them with food, shelter and medicines.
“But Cisanet has learnt with great shock of the level of devastation that has already taken place in people’s gardens at this critical stage in the agriculture production cycle, raising fears of hunger in most affected households,” bemoaned Nkhono-Mvula.
He cited the massive investment in fertilisers and seeds under the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) as a huge loss that will cost a lot to replace.
“The disaster that has befallen us should, therefore, be an opportunity for us to draw lessons on how we can rethink investment in the agriculture sector and how we can effectively plan ahead and allocate resources to different departments and subsectors within agriculture, and also come up with contingency measures to avert similar crises in future,” said Nkhono-Mvula.
He suggested that farmers replant early maturing maize varieties and take advantage of the residual moisture, water harvesting structures and irrigation to grow.
Nkhono-Mvula has since pledged Cisanet’s support towards government’s efforts to alleviate the suffering that rural communities are experiencing as a result of the floods.
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