New rainfall analysis revealed on SADC regions

Total rainfall for the Southern African Development Community region for the latest crop season, from October 2018 to March 2019, was the lowest in 38 years.

Rainfall analysis indicates that total rainfall for this period may have been the lowest since 1981 for parts of Angola, western Botswana, Comoros, northern Namibia, western and central South Africa, Lesotho, western Zambia and Zimbabwe, according to a statement read at a meeting of Southern African Development Community ministers responsible for agriculture, food security and fisheries and aquaculture, in Windhoek, Namibia, as reported by Xinhua.

"The low rainfall was associated with a delayed erratic onset that resulted in reduced planted area, poor germination and crop establishment as well as an extended dry spell in January 2019 that led to moisture stress and permanent wilting," the statement said.

Low rainfall has also negatively impacted pasture and livestock, as well as water supply for human, agricultural and other uses, which have all deteriorated in western parts of the region. Three SADC countries had to declare a state of drought disaster due to the low rainfall.

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