The upcoming summer season will have unusual weather conditions, and farmers need to have contingency plans, the Agriculture and Land Affairs Department said on Tuesday.
Spokesperson Steve Galane said wet and warm conditions are expected over South Africa’s summer rainfall areas.
”Enhanced probabilities of favourable rainfall conditions are forecast from year-end onward. Temperatures are expected to be above normal over the entire country. Precautions for pests and diseases associated with these conditions must be in place,” he said.
The department advises farmers to employ good farming practices such as not overstocking to ensure a good output.
Farmers should approach the summer season with caution because of the limited soil moisture and expected warm temperatures.
”Thunderstorms associated with flash floods, strong winds, hail and lightning are likely this summer season because of high temperatures and can cause major damage,” Galane said.
If natural disasters such as droughts, floods or veld fires do occur, the department will request funds from the National Treasury for relief for farmers.
”Insecure population in the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region has doubled from about 3,1-million last year to 6,1-million this year. Grain availability in the region remains insufficient to cover staple food requirements in the countries facing large production deficits.”
Farmers are encouraged to use supplementary feed during the first half of the summer season in order to ensure a full veld recovery, Galane said.
Severe storms
The Mail & Guardian last week reported that, according to the South African Weather Service, storms in South Africa are set to become more severe.
Weather man Mnikeli Ndabambi warned that people in low-lying areas could expect more flooding.
”This year alone South Africa has seen many weather records tumbling,” he said, pointing out that all over the planet changes are taking place because of global warming. ”South Africa will have to learn to cope with these extreme weather conditions. They are not going to stop.”
Floods are becoming heavier and they will be a major problem in informal settlements, he said.
Climate experts Alex Weaver and Arthur Chapman of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research have warned that there will be ”an increase in severe storms, such as those associated with cut-off low-pressure systems”.
”This will lead to more frequent flooding and consequent damage to farmlands, infrastructure and inhabitants of flood-prone areas,” the two scientists said.
The weather service is concerned that the velocity of hailstorms on the Highveld could increase, Ndabambi said, and it has detected much stronger and more damaging winds during the traditional thunderstorms for which Gauteng is famous.