10 Mpandula 2025
Ngu Liberty Mutamba
Kulandela ukuguquka komkhathi abalimi beZansi yemaNdebeleni bathwele amagaba avuzayo nanko ke imfuyo, lezilimo sezihlaselwa yimikhuhlane eminengi.
Umkhuhlane wo mkhono( January Disease) ubuvame ukuhlasela izifuyo ngo Zibandlela kulumhlubulo wemaNdebeleni kwathi ke ngokuguquka komkhathi inkomo sezibanjwa ngumkhuhlane lo umnyaka uqala uze uyephela.
Izibungu ezifana lemihogoyi (fall army worm) sezitshaya zibhuqe emasimini, isibungu lesi besingavamanga kulumhlubulo kodwa ngoku guquka komkhathi isibungu lesi sesibhahile.
Umnu Geoffrey Hove okugatsha lwe Agritex kulumhlubulo ubikele umsakazo kazulu ukuba imikhuhlane le imemethekiswa yikuguquka komkhathi.
“Ukuguquka komkhathi sekulethe utshintsho olukhulu kubalimi ngoba izilimo kanye lezifuyo sezithola imikhuhlane eminenginengi ebingavamanga kumango wakithi. Umkhuhlane wefall army worm uze ngemva kokuguquka komkhathi.
“Inkomo lazo zithwele nzima ngomkhuhlane womkhono osubhahile kulindawo njalo usutshaya umnyaka uze uyephela. Umkhuhlane lo ubuvame kakhulu empumalanga njalo ubamba ngoZibandlea. Sixwayisa abalimi ukuba bazidibhise izifuyo zabo kukanti izilimo bazivekele kumkhuhlane eminengi esivame emasimini,” kubika uHove.
UHove ubike ukuba ugatsha lwe Agritex luyaphathisa abalimi ngemfundiso etshiyeneyo ingakho uzulu kumele athathe izibaluleko ukuze bavikele inotho yabo.
“Sisebenza lezanuse zomkhathi ezisitshela ukuba umkhathi ume njani. Thina siyanika izeluleko ukuba abalimi kumele bavikele njalo basebenze njalo ukuze bavikele inotho. Ezigabeni silabalimisi kukanti siyasebenzisa umsakazo kaZulu ukusabalalisa imbiko kubalimi. Khathesi sesilungiselela ukuphosa inhlanyelo abanye bayabiya ngokunjalo lathi siyabe silimukisa abalimi ngemfundiso enengi anduba baphose inhlanyelo yabo phansi,” kubika uHove.
Umnu Qondiso Dube uthe ukuguquka komkhathi sekudunga lomkhathi ingakho uzulu kumele asebenzise imitshina engabulali/engalimazi umkhathi.
“Intuthu eziphuma emaNdaa, ezimoteni lezinye indawo ezitshiyeneyo idunga umkhathi. Umkhathi ungadungeka ilanga liyabe selitshisa ngamandla. Ingakho kumele lathi sizame ukusebenzisa imitshina engakhiphi intuthu edunga umkhathi,” kubika uDube
Ugatsha lwabo ntanga iYouth Advocacy for Climate Change (YACC) olukhangele ngokulondolozwa komkhathi lendle luthi abalimi kumele basebenzise abalimisi lengatsha ezikhangele ngomkhathi ukuze benelise ukuphila ngaphansi kokuguquka komkhathi.
“Siyabonga ukuba umsakazo lo usemakhaya ngoba abantu abalimala kakhulu ngabalimi, balahlekelwa yimfuyo lezilimo ngoku guquka komkhathi. Ingakho thina njengabo ntanga sibaxwayisa ukuba basebenze lengatsha ezitshiyeneyo ezikhangele ngezomkhathi njalo bethole imfundiso engabaphilisa ukuze esakubona nyakenye kube nganeno. Ukuguquka komkhathi kuhlukuluza thina abesifazana ngoba yithi esibuya sithwale nzima ngokudinga amanzi lokunye njee. Ingakho kumele sidinge amaqhinga okuphila ngaphansi kokuguquka komkhathi,” kubika umqondisi we YACC unkzn Mercy Mukwane.
Abalimi ezansi yemaNdebeleni bakhuthazwa ukuba balime izilimo ezifana lamabele, inyawuthi, uphoko lokunye okuhambelana lendawo yakulumango. Kukanti izifuyo kumele zihambe edibheni ukuze kubulawe imikhaza ethwala imikhuhlane eminengi kumfuyo kazulu.
