Africa-Press – Lesotho. For almost three months since heavy rains poured, nothing has come-out good and positive particularly for agriculture production. The Lesotho Red Cross
Society (LRCS) has thus released a statement that highlighted a number factors that continue to affect the agricultural sector. The statement stated that
the current heavy rain which started early and intensified Mid November 2021 has negatively affected crop production, much as it rained at peak of planting
season, the intervals of rainy periods did not provide enough time for land preparations, ploughing and planting for most of the farmers. It added that while
other already planted crops were at their early stage of emergence and thus depletion of nutrients due to residual moisture. “The following are the ultimate results or impacts that are already being realized while some will be
apparent in the coming months; most of the fields throughout the country are waterlogged while in some fields the plants are still submerged in water.
The result of this situation is the loss of soil fertility through leaching hence reduction in crop productivity. There is poor germination of the seeds which were planted during this period because the
seeds have been submerged in the soil for a long time and some have rotted,” reads the statement. It further informed that due to extended rainy days, most farmers have not been able to weed, hence most
of the crops are already turning yellow and since the weeds are already at the flowering stage the use of post-emergence herbicides will not be effective,
adding that alternatively, the farmers can opt for manual weeding, which is also challenged by the fact that the crops are lodging. “It is anticipated that
due to these continuous wet days the outbreak of plant diseases will be very high. There are already reports of blight in potatoes and this is expected to
expand to beans. There are also reports on moles that browse on the newly emerged beans. The situation is expanded by the fact that the soil is wet hence
the ease for the moles to dig through the soil,” notes the statement in pertinent part. Other affected sectors are reported to include Roads, Water and Sanitation and Health.
“Preliminary reports from the various formal and informal sources indicated serious damages on road
infrastructure resulting in many communities being cut off from essential services such as hospitals and schools; destruction of planted crops, disruption
of field operations; environmental health, and the possibility of an outbreak of locust, waterborne diseases as well as drowning,” LRCS statement revealed.
The report bears reference to the fact that Lesotho has experienced heavy rains that covered the whole country from mid November 2021 to the date January 2022.
The rains, according to the Lesotho Meteorological Services (LMS), are categorized as normal to above normal and many weather stations present higher readings.
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