Heavy rains threaten crop yields

MAMELLO SEBATANE
Maseru – Lesotho has experienced severe floods due to heavy rainfall predicted by the Lesotho Meteorological Services, leaving farmers worried about the prospects of spoilt crops compromising their harvest.
Farmer Koali Moima said too much rain affects crop productivity in different ways.
“The situation is already intense. Heavy rainfalls cause erosion in the fields, especially in the mountains due to the terrain, and in the lowlands rains will see crops growing rapidly but they will not produce as much as they should,” he said.
He indicated further that heavy rains bring challenges of physically damaged crops and delayed planting, as well as a compromise on harvesting.
“Potatoes are already decaying possibly due to oxygen deficiency and nutrient loss caused by rain; it is going to affect our production immensely,” he said.