The planting season started with predictions of a record crop but the weather had other plans
Senakhomo is recognised for her outstanding maize yields
Post-harvest management will reduce losses and improve food availability
The prospect of a bumper crop has caused prices to plummet and debts still have to be paid back.
Maize is a tough sell – but Lawrence Mtsweni and his daughters are keeping the dream alive.
The recent rains might ameliorate a bleak picture but there appears to be no silver lining to the problems ahead, including food supply.
Maize harvests are tipped to be lower, threatening food security and inflation in the entire region.
Wema was developed for dryland farmers, particularly smallholders, who are dependent mainly on rainfall.
While the impact is looking serious for Zimbabwe, the drought could also hit southern Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia.
Given the agricultural potential in former homelands and the challenges of communal land policies, this may be the time to review them.
Talks between the South African and Chinese governments have concluded and the plan awaits political signing before first exports to China can begin.
The Crop Estimates Committee’s forecast expects 2014’s maize harvest to be the largest in over three decades.
The price of maize has slumped in expectation of a bumper crop and the biggest in over three decades.
South Africa, Africa’s biggest maize producer, has had to import yellow maize for the first time since April 2012 as stocks remain tight.
Escalting tensions in Ukraine are causing cereal supply disruptions to South Africa and pushing up food prices.
Workers and farmers in Zimbabwe are not being paid and the agricultural minister says a cash injection is urgent.
The Zimbabwean government has restricted the importation of poultry and sugar, and banned maize imports.
The Zimbabwe government’s decision to ban the private import of grain is being criticised.
An expectation of rain in maize-producing areas has seen the price of the yellow variety fall to a three-week low.
Fears over supply shortages has seen white maize prices climb to the highest levels since it had begun trading on the futures excahnge in 1996.
Tight supply aggravated by drought in the North West is causing local maize prices to rise to import parity.
Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson says the country needs farmers to respect early-warning systems for drought.
Zimbabwe’s Agricultural minister says Zambia is no longer giving the country maize on credit.
Without proper and immediate planning by the government, the expected water shortage in South Africa will have disastrous consequences.
Zimbabwe’s Agriculture Minister Joseph Made says that imported maize is being handed out to vulnerable people in a bid to stave of famine.
Maize futures has fallen to a one-month low as the strengthening of the rand made imports more affordable.
Aid is needed to feed more than two million people as the government runs out of maize reserves.
South Africa may run out of yellow maize if exports of the grain rise further, a stock firm specialising in agricultural futures has said.
Signs of a potentially improved global wheat supply see local prices drop.
Maize prices have increased after the most yellow maize in more than two years was shipped, raising concern that stocks are insufficient.
Those in favour point to improved yields, those against say yield is due to management, not crops.
Some of this country’s richest maize farmland is also home to some of our poorest people.