Rain of hope...

By Elvis T Chiketah

For the past few weeks in Gokwe just like certain parts of Zimbabwe right now there has
been splendid amount of rainfall. It had been a while since plausible rainfall was received in
Gokwe and sensible rainfall patterns needed by farmers to grow their crops have been
witnessed. Despite Covid 19 lurking around, farmers are glad that this time harvests are
expected.

Farmers in this agro-based town expect more rains and some expect to double their produce
this year. This year has become a blessing to some farmers who received the Presidential
Inputs Scheme in form of seeds, pesticides and fertilizers which they did not have. The
government was applauded for its efforts and service because farmers in Gokwe were
struggling with inputs, now that expected rains are being received these inputs are like an
icing to the cake because they expect nothing but bumper harvests now.

During the course of receiving their inputs farmers were educated and given insights as to
which crops are favourable this season and things like climate change among other things.
They were thankful for the knowledge and insights, it cannot the denied that Gokwe was the
major supplier of cotton and lint in Zimbabwe. The supply has been declining annually
seeing some prominent cotton farmers resorting to tobbacco and drought resistant crops.
Hence, with all the knowledge acquired the farmers aim to see Gokwe back to its well-known
agricultural prowess days. Crops like cotton, maize, groundnuts, sorghum, rapoko amongst
others are mainly grown in Gokwe.

Though evidence of abandoned farms is evident, some farmers seem to have given up due to
different many factors. Some were happy for their livestock because rivers, dams and grazing
lands had dried off. Some livestocks could not succumb the conditions thus farmers lost quite
a number of their livestock but with these rains dams and rivers in Gokwe are filled with
water. The grazing lands has been replenished with green grass and bushes. Food and water
for their livestock was the only thing they hoped for. Large and small scale farmers in Gokwe
are happy with the rains and government's intervention. They hope that the government
continues offering assistance and that they revise the market price of cotton.