Floods pose danger to rice harvests in Mbarali District
Farmers in some areas of Mbrai District in Mbeya Region claim that there is danger for them to delay in rice farming due to floods that sweep away seeds each time they plant.
Speaking to this paper at different times on Monday, they said the ongoing rains bring benefits to some areas, but in others they are a big loss due to floods.
One farmer Hohm Mjwanga, a resident of Chimala Ward said each time he plants rice seeds in the fields, floods come to sweep them away while in other fields the seeds rot due to high water levels at all times.
He said even though rice needs a lot of water, but not on the levels at present, many farmers are not well conversant on how to cope with floods in their paddy farms.
“I prepared a rice field to reap one bag of rice, but what I harvested was only quarter of the bag which is of low quality due to flood water,” said Mjwanga.
He said for big farmers including investors of big farms flood water is beneficial as they have the technology in controlling the quantity of water in their farms.
Another farmer Toros Magoha, said there are areas where irrigations scheme are employed but even there floods have swept away the seedlings and have no hope of replacement in time.
He said as of now they plant depending on the rains and in case the rains cease even for a week, they stop until it rains again.
