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For nearly two months, there has been very little rain in Bangui and its suburbs. If water is vital, its lack has serious consequences for the germination and survival of crops in the fields. This is the case in the village of Djabarona, 45 km northwest of Bangui, where the effects of this absence are clearly visible in the plantations.
Plantations are everywhere, but the main color is yellow. Food crops such as cassava, corn and peanuts in the fields are turning yellow and withering. The first rains in March and April trapped farmers in Jabarona.
” The ground’s too hard”
“After ploughing the land, we planted corn, cassava and peanuts. But since there was no rain, it was difficult for the plants to germinate. As you can see, it didn’t grow well because the soil was too hard. Farmer Diane Astra lamented this. “In Jabarona, there are only mountains. You have to go another 7 kilometers down to get arable land. Because there was no rain, some of our produce withered in the fields. The peanuts and corn turned yellow. Thank God, it rained a little recently. Then it started to grow again.” Another farmer, Oumarou, said.
However, for some farmers, the losses are huge. Other reasons for the drying up of their produce are mentioned.
“Forced to sell gay”
“If we sow, it is difficult for it to grow. The soil becomes hardened and no longer fertile after the cattle pass through. If we plant, it is difficult for it to sprout. We are forced to sell firewood to feed the children. We ask the authorities to allocate land that we can cultivate” Jean Didier, aka Kakaboyé, said plaintively.
Normally, the planting period is from April to June. But by mid-July, farmers were puzzled as to why the rains had not fallen. The Ministry of Agriculture said it was working on a new lunar calendar, although that did not start today.
“Compensation for one year’s loss”
“To restore the lunar calendar, we have to test it in different regions and on different dates. This takes time. However, the state has set up a support unit for farmers’ organizations. When someone fails to practice, he can contact this service. This will put him in touch with other NGOs to support him and seek compensation for the loss of his agricultural year”, Stève Mbenda, director of the Central African Agricultural Research Institute, assured.
Most of the residents of Jabarona are returning Fulani herders who have turned farmers. But these farmers, denouncing the destruction of soil quality and climate, are demanding that the government allocate them land suitable for farming.
– Also read: Environment: On the outskirts of Bangui, young people fight deforestation through reforestation
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