Ixesha lokulungiselela ukulima kwasehlotyeni lifikile kodwa kukho uloyiko olukhulu lokuba uzakubuya kwakho uEl Nino ongenalusini esiza nemozulu engaqhelekanga. UDawie Maree yingcali ejongene nemicimbi yezolimo kwibhanki yakwaFirst National Bank (FNB) ulumnkisa amafama ngo El Nino.
Uthi ingxaki yokutshiswa kwamadlelo ebonakala kwiindawo ezininzi zelizwe ngelixesha ibangela ukuba kubenzima ngamandla kumafama ngexesha lasehlotyeni. “Kulindeleke imeko yemozulu eshushu kakhulu eyomileyo kwihlobo lalo nyaka ngenxa ka El Nino, ngoko ukutshiswa kwamadlelo kuzakubenza nzima mpela ubomi kumafama,” kucacisa uMaree.
Uthi ukutshiswa kwamadlelo ebusika kuzakwenza ukuba xa ehlasela uEl Nino ehlotyeni umhlaba uyakuba ukhukhuliseka okanye ingenakumelana nokoma okuzayo. “Singakhuthaza amafama ukuba aqalise ukwenza amacebo wokuba kunqandwe lemililo, kukhuselwe amadlelo nezinto ezityaliweyo,” utsho uMaree.
UEl Nino yimozulu engaqhelekanga esele kukudala ihlasela ihlabathi ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. “UEl Nino walo nyaka uzakufika kumafama asele engxwelerhwe ziingxaki zokumnka kombane, amaxabiso aphezulu ezinto eziyimfuno kumafama,” kutsho uMaree. Uthi amafama mawapheke amacebo okunqanda iingxaki phambi kokuba zixake nangaphambi kokuhlasela kuka El Nino.
“Ndikholelwa ukuba izicwangciso zexesha elide lokulwa neengxaki ezizakubangela kuEl Nino kungawanceda amafama ukuphungula umonakalo,” kutsho uMaree.
UMaree ukhuthaza amafama ukuba ahlale exhobe ngeendlela zonke ukuze akwazi ukulwa ngempumelelo ingxaki ezithibaza ukuveliswa kokutya. Le meko kungenzeka ukuba ibangele imililo okanye ubushushu obungaqhelekanga, oku kuphazamisa ngamandla ulimo nokufuya.
“Amafama kufuneka ukuba abenesicwangciso sokulwa umluli, asebenzisane noRhulumente kwakunye namanye amafama,” kucebisa uMaree. Uthi izixhobo zokucima umlilo kufuneka ukuba zihlale zilungele ukusebenza maxesha onke.
“Ukufumana iingcebiso kumagosa neengcali zolimo kubalulekile, oku kwakunceda ukuba umfama akwazi ukujongana neengxaki eziza noEl Nino exhobile,” utsho uMaree.
Ngonyaka ka2015/16 uEl Nino wabangela imbalela emandla kumsebenzi wokulima nokufuya amafama alahlekelwa kumanqanaba onke. “Amafama mawafundise iziqu zawo, afundise abasebenzi bawo, asebenzisane ewodwa ukunqanda ingxaki,” kutsho uMaree. Iindibano zamaqela ahlukeneyo zibalulekile kakhulu ukuze kwabelwane ngolwazi ngamaxesha onke.
Ukuhlasela kuka El Nino kubangela ukuhla kwesivuno, ukulamba kwemfuyo ngenxa yembalela nokunqongophala kwamanzi nezinye izinto ezibalulekileyo kulimo.
ElaseTopiya lihamba phambili ngeenkomo eAfrika