MOZAMBIQUE – The floods brought by tropical cyclone Freddy to the central Mozambican province of Manica have caused the loss of almost 2,000 hectares of crops, Allafrica has reported.

According to AllAfrica, 8,164 hectares of crops had been affected of which 1,813 were completely lost, primarily maize and sunflower crops.

Ernesto Lopes, Manica Provincial Director of Agriculture in an interview with Radio Mozambique revealed that the districts most affected are Tambara, Guro, Macate, Sussundenga, and Mossurize.

However, to avert the losses, he said that the Provincial Directorate has drawn up a contingency plan so that the households affected can recover from their losses.

“We need five tonnes of seeds’, Lopes said. “We are discussing with our partners and some solutions are in sight’.

However, Lopes lamented on difficulties in reaching Tambara to deliver seeds and equipment to farmers, because of the poor condition of the access roads resulting from the damage.  

Showing optimism, Lopes said that the initial forecasts for agricultural production this year in Manica were 4.3 million tonnes of various crops, grown on an area of 1.2 million hectares.

Zimbabwe donates maize meal to Malawi’s cyclone victims 

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has donated 300 tonnes of maize meal to Malawi as part of efforts to support the country after it was heavily hit by Cyclone Freddy early this month, The Herald has reported.

The donation follows the tropical cyclone that left approximately 500 000 Malawians internally displaced, with at least 500 dead and thousands injured.

The consignment was flagged off by the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Malawi, Dr. Nancy Saungweme who presented the donation in Blantyre on behalf of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Earlier this week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched a resource mobilization initiative for the people of Malawi in a bid to help the victims.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Blantyre, Ambassador Saungweme said President Mnangagwa heeded the call for support made by his counterpart President Lazarus Chakwera hence the dispatch of the contribution which is a sign of solidarity and support to the people of Malawi.

In addition, he revealed that the government has set up a disaster relief committee led by Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo to draw up a comprehensive assistance package for Malawi.

According to the officials, the package will include a Government contribution plus the assistance already coming from the Zimbabwean private sector following the call by President Mnangagwa.

The Cyclone also hit Madagascar, Mozambique, and parts of Zimbabwe setting a new record for being the longest-lasting storm in the southern hemisphere to date

In Zimbabwe, authorities were forced to suspend schools for two days in anticipation of the storm which claimed at least two lives, wreaking havoc in some parts of the country.

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