By Kefiloe Kajane
The Lesotho Meteorological Services this week projected that the country is expected to receive normal to above normal rains for the period October 2021 to March 2022.
This was revealed by the minister of energy and meteorology Mohapi Mohapinyane when giving a seasonal climate outlook for October 20121.
He said 2020/2021 season enjoyed good rains as the entire country received above normal rainfall during October to December 2020 and January to March 2021.
He explained that dry conditions were observed in April to June 2021 as below normal rain was received.
However, he said heavy snowfall and widespread rains occurred at the end of July 2021 into the first week of August 2021. He said the 2020/2021 season mostly recorded normal temperatures throughout the country.
He indicated that ENSO, (a climate pattern in which coastal waters become warmer in the eastern tropical Pacific) is currently in its neutral phase with a possibility of a weak La Nina, (a climate pattern that describes the cooling of surface ocean waters along the tropical west coast of South America) is developing during the period October 2021 to January 2022.
He therefore, said the 2021/2022 rainfall season is likely to be influenced by weak LA Nina which is associated with enhanced precipitation over the country.
“Temperatures are predicted to be normal for the period October 2021 to March 2022 with a possibility of below normal. Occurrences of strong winds, lightning, severe thunderstorms, flash floods and hailstorms, are common weather phenomena in summer. However, climate change is expected to increase frequency and intensity of weather and climate extremes,” Mohapinyane said.
Meanwhile, the minister of agriculture and food security Likopo Mahase encouraged farmers to take advantage of the expected rainfalls to prepare for summer cropping.
He said the heavy rainfall in December 2020 to January 2021 was one of the challenges farmers faced as it affected summer cropping. He said some of the fields were washed away by the heavy rainfall. He said many farmers were unable to even go through the process of weeding which affected their harvesting.
Mahase further said that the rains affected the harvesting of wheat as the fields were muddy and harvesting machines could not be used in time.
But he foresaw that farmers who were able to plant early were successful as they harvested a lot of maize.
He encouraged them to start preparing for summer cropping so as to be able to plough in time.
“Lesotho this year so far has been blessed with average rains…As we have already been told by meteorology, there are rainfalls expected so we call upon farmers to seize this opportunity so that we can depend on our production.
“The ministry of agriculture and food security has made progress in ensuring there are seed and manure available for summer cropping. The ministry is going to continue to sell 60 percent subsidised manure and seeds to farmers nationwide. They will be available in four storages of Maseru, Butha-Buthe, Maputsoe, and Mohale’s Hoek.
“The selling of seeds and manure started in the beginning of this month. Farmers that are allowed to buy are those who have a contract with the ministry of agriculture and food security,” he warned.
