Government says it has intensified preparedness and anticipatory measures aimed at safeguarding national food security and protecting farmers’ livelihoods amid forecasts indicating a high likelihood of El Niño weather conditions during the 2026/2027 agricultural season.
The Ministry of Agriculture’s Principal Public Relations Officer, Balewa Zulu, says the government has developed a Comprehensive Agriculture and Food Security Cluster Response Framework to strengthen resilience in the agricultural sector and reduce the potential impact of climate variability on crop production and food availability.
Mr. Zulu says the preparedness measures draw on lessons from previous climate-related shocks and prioritise climate-resilient agricultural practices, irrigation development, pest and disease surveillance, strategic food reserve management, and expanded farmer sensitisation and extension services.
The government is promoting the adoption of conservation agriculture, drought-tolerant and early-maturing crop varieties, expanded irrigation systems, and improved water-harvesting technologies to help farmers reduce their vulnerability to anticipated dry conditions.
Farmers are further encouraged to follow official advisories, adopt recommended climate-smart agricultural practices, and work closely with extension officers to enhance resilience, safeguard production, and mitigate the potential effects of the projected dry spell.
By Rachel Mumba
