Farmers Urged To Protect The Country’s Bumper Harvest Against Veld Fires

By Pretiosa Chimuti

Farmers have been urged to take heed of the likely risk of veld fires that might destroy their crops following high expectations of a bumper harvest in the country.

Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry,Mangaliso Ndlovu warned farmers about the imminent losses due to fire outbreaks caused mainly by negligence and failure to put fireguards while he was guest of honour launching the National Fire Week at Gwebi College in Mashonaland West, Wednesday.

He said those who negligently caused veld fires and those who do not implement measures to guard against them will be dealt with according to the law.

“We do have a law that punishes, first people who start veld fires but more importantly those who do not put measures to suppress the spread of veld fires.

“For the heavy rains we received, there is high biomass even in areas that traditionally had a low biomass implying that the country is highly vulnerable to veld fires during the 2021 fire season.

Minister Ndlovu said due to expected bumper harvests coupled with high biomass caused by the favourable rains, eight provinces were at high risk of veld fires.

“The provinces at extreme risk are Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland, while the two Matabeleland provinces North and South, Midlands and Masvingo are this time around at high risk of veld fires.”

Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Senator Mary Mliswa Chikoka said prevention of veld fires was crucial towards achieving Vision 2030.

“I strongly believe that the creation of a common and shared vision in veld fire prevention is crucial to achieving  Vision 2030 as enunciated by his Excellency, President E.D Mnangagwa … we must therefore, pursue prevention of veld fires as a multi-dimensional and sectorial approach encompassing the economic, social and political institutions.”

She said every farmer was mandated to have ways of suppressing veld fires such fire guard construction, biomass deduction and early controlled burning.

“To our Agritex officers, I want to urge you to include in your farmer trainings the important component of teaching farmers how to prevent and fight veld fires.

Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Resettlement, Dr. Anxious Masuka emphasized that farmers must be equipped with firefighting skills.

“Firefighting is a skill that must be imparted to our farmers, all necessary measures to avoid veld fires must be put in place at all our farms,” he said.

According to Zimbabwe’s statutes the veld fire season in Zimbabwe starts from 31 July to 31 October.  Nhau/Indaba.