Poor rain fall has caused the wilting of many crops in the Sissala East District. The rains which started late (July) also ended earlier than expected – by September when many crops require water to form seeds, the rains had receded in some parts of the district - and by early October, it had ended completely in most places.
This is contrary to the earlier prediction of heavy rains across the country by the meteorological services department.
Rice is the crop hardest hit by the short rains. All the 9 acres of upland rice that ActionAid supported 6 women groups of 90 women to cultivate have suffered severely from the drought.
Salamatu Yakubu 49 years, chair person of beneficiary group, Nimoro women’s group [Bassisan community], has expressed her disappointment about the situation and describes it as frustrating.
She said “we had high hopes on the rice and did everything humanly possible - including weeding- to ensure that we got a good yield to support ourselves, only for the rains to disappoint us this way.
The rains started late this year, so we thought they would extend up to the end of October or early November as it has always ended, but it has surprised everybody. Even if it comes now - our crops have failed”.
The situation really threatens food security this year as most maize fields have been affected by the drought, except the few farmers who risked planted much earlier when the rain fall distribution at the onset (in June) was not very good.
Do not make a mistake and think that the maize crops in the picture are matured. This is a two acre wilted maize farm as a result of water stress. At the time that the crops needed water most to form seeds, just after tassling, the rains suddenly stopped. This has forced the plants to dry up without forming seeds.
