Drought puts lives, church farms at risk in Zimbabwe

Key points:

  • In April, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe declared the drought a national disaster and revealed that the country needs about $2 billion to avert starvation.
  • The United Methodist Church’s efforts to boost food security in the region also suffered a huge blow, with church mission farms seeing major crop losses.
  • The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, through the Yambasu Agriculture Initiative, supports maize production at four United Methodist mission farms. The farms without irrigation systems have been the hardest hit.

El Niño-induced drought has left millions facing hunger and starvation in Zimbabwe.

In April, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, declared the drought a national disaster and revealed that the country needs about $2 billion to avert starvation.

The United Methodist Church’s efforts to boost food security in the region also suffered a huge blow with church mission farms seeing major crop losses.

The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, through the Yambasu Agriculture Initiative, supports maize production at four United Methodist mission farms: 62 acres at Nyadire, 25 at Mutambara, 69 at Old Mutare and 12 at Hanwa.

Support agriculture in Africa

Donations to the Yambasu Agriculture Initiative can be made through Global Ministries Advance #982188.

The Rev. Lancelot Mukundu, Nyadire mission station chair, said the church’s efforts to transform the farms into green belts were shattered by El Niño-induced drought. El Niño is a climate pattern that refers to the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean, which affects regional and global weather.

“It was heartrending to see the crops being water-stressed daily until they were a write-off,” he said. “All efforts and resources were lost. There is no harvest, not even a kilogram of maize grain can be salvaged.”

Mukundu said Nyadire should not be suffering from the effects of droughts because it has water rights for the Nyadire and Nyaitenga rivers, which are a stone’s throw away from the mission.

“If they were to harness the use of these vast waters by any means, they could become the breadbasket of the area,” he said. “The available water has the potential to support surrounding areas rather than relying on dry-land, rain-fed agriculture.

Subscribe to our
e-newsletter

Like what you're reading and want to see more? Sign up for our free daily and weekly digests of important news and events in the life of The United Methodist Church.

Keep me informed!

“If those 25 hectares (62 acres) were under irrigation,” Mukundu noted, “we could have managed to harvest enough to feed the seven units at Nyadire Mission, our sister schools and the community and, with time, we could be self-sustaining.”

Roland Fernandes, chief executive of Global Ministries and the founder of the Yambasu Agriculture Initiative, said “the devastating effects of this drought underscore the urgent need for sustainable agricultural solutions that can withstand climate shocks.

“Investing in resilient irrigation systems and climate-smart farming practices will enhance both food security and livelihoods,” he said. 

Last year, Mukundu said, Nyadire Mission achieved a bumper harvest and even sold part of it to its sister boarding schools: Dendera, Nyamuzuwe, Murehwa and Nyadire Teachers College.

“But now these will outsource the maize grain, and the learners will bear the cost. Without irrigation, we are going to have a chronic challenge in our harvests,” he said.

Esnath Arichara, Nyadire farm manager, agreed that irrigation is key to the farm’s success.

“My heart breaks thinking that we could have avoided all these losses,” she said, calling this season’s maize crop a total loss.

“The perennial Nyadire River is less than 500 meters away, and if we had irrigation systems to provide supplementary irrigation to bridge the gap, a bumper harvest would be certain.”

Esnath Arichara looks for corn to harvest at The United Methodist Church’s Nyadire Mission farm. The farm manager said because of El Nino-induced drought, the crops were a total loss. The dry conditions have left millions facing hunger and starvation in Zimbabwe and The United Methodist Church’s agricultural efforts also have suffered. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.
Esnath Arichara looks for corn to harvest at The United Methodist Church’s Nyadire Mission farm. The farm manager said because of El Nino-induced drought, the crops were a total loss. The dry conditions have left millions facing hunger and starvation in Zimbabwe and The United Methodist Church’s agricultural efforts also have suffered. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Judith Matema, a teacher and hostel warden at Nyadire Central Primary School, practices backyard farming. “In good years,” she said, “I can harvest 200 kilograms (441 pounds) of maize grain, which will be more than enough for my family.

“However, this year, I will not harvest even 20 kilograms,” she said, noting that even if she does harvest that much, the quality of the mealie meal will not be good to prepare sadza, a thick porridge that is a staple in the region.

“I had also planted finger millet to mitigate the effects of climate change, but still the crop was affected. … I do not expect any harvest,” she said.

Judith Matema, a teacher at Nyadire Central Primary School at United Methodist Nyadire Mission in Zimbabwe, inspects the finger millet crop she planted in her backyard garden. Despite being a drought-tolerant crop, the millet did not fare well this planting season. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.
Judith Matema, a teacher at Nyadire Central Primary School at United Methodist Nyadire Mission in Zimbabwe, inspects the finger millet crop she planted in her backyard garden. Despite being a drought-tolerant crop, the millet did not fare well this planting season. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

The Rev. Future Sibanda, Hanwa mission station chair, said farm workers planted five hectares (12 acres) of maize, but due to the drought, they anticipate harvesting just 10%.

Still, Sibanda said he is grateful to the Zimbabwe Volunteers in Mission for giving Hanwa $50,000 to establish a two-hectare greenhouse that will generate income year-round.

The effects of drought did not spare Old Mutare Mission.

The Rev. Tedious Mwadiwa, station chair, said the farm planted 28 hectares (69 acres) of maize, but the yield will be well below what was anticipated.

“If we had irrigation, we could have cushioned the worst effects of drought and achieved a bumper harvest.”

At Mutambara Mission, farmers continued to count their blessings as the mission’s 25-acre plot became a good example of the impact of an irrigation system.

Barnabas Gwatura, mission station chair, said he was impressed with this year’s crop.

“My crop did not suffer from water stress because we managed to bridge water unavailability with irrigation. My vision is to add value to our farm produce by selling the processed products. I envisaged having a factory here at Mutambara and selling packaged mealie meal. This will help us to be self-sustaining because partners’ funds do not live forever.”

He said the mission also planted 250 kilograms (551 pounds) of green beans and one hectare (two acres) of potatoes.

“We always plant crops year-round, and this has helped us to boast church coffers,” he added.

“My wish is to expand the irrigation systems and drill boreholes so that we can irrigate a bigger area and become an example within the community.”

The Rev. Barnabas Gwature, station chair at Mutambara Mission, shows off the “double-cobbing” of corn in his field at the church’s mission farm in Mutambara, Zimbabwe. Irrigation has played a pivotal role in cushioning the effects of El Nino-induced drought in the region. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.
The Rev. Barnabas Gwature, station chair at Mutambara Mission, shows off the “double-cobbing” of corn in his field at the church’s mission farm in Mutambara, Zimbabwe. Irrigation has played a pivotal role in cushioning the effects of El Nino-induced drought in the region. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Mushaishi Madzakate, a farmworker at Mutambara Mission, said an irrigation system is the best solution to address the effects of El Niño.

“We get water from the perennial Umvumvumvu River through gravity to irrigate our crops. There is little cost in accessing this water.

“I am very happy with our harvest because we never labor in vain.”

Farmworkers Precious Nduna and Mushaishi Madzakate show off their harvest at Mutambara Mission farm in Zimbabwe. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.
Farmworkers Precious Nduna and Mushaishi Madzakate show off their harvest at Mutambara Mission farm in Zimbabwe. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Annie Sibanda, a former employee of Mutambara Mission, was counting her losses after El Niño destroyed her backyard crops.

“I am a vegetable vendor and a backyard crop farmer,” she explained, “but this year, the weather has been very harsh and destroyed every crop. In good years, I never buy a mealie meal, but this year we have already started buying.”

Famine also has a negative effect on church activities, said the Rev. Marian Sigauke, Chimanimani Chipinge District superintendent.

“The shortage of food has affected church activities drastically. Most people are focusing on having food on the table and are hopeless. Ninety percent of my circuits are rural, meaning they support the church through farm produce. If there is drought, their commitment is divided between the stomach and the church.

“It will be very difficult to preach about the goodness of the Lord to someone who is starving. They would ask where God is when they are starving. How are they going to survive to the next harvest?” she said.

Morgan Jeranyama, Yambasu Agriculture Initiative national project consultant in Zimbabwe, said the effects and impact of El Niño-induced droughts have been huge.

“It has forced us to rethink and refocus on how best to proceed. In the 2023-24 season, we had rain-fed maize crops, but the results were poor.

“If I am to rate the four farms — Mutambara, Old Mutare, Hanwa and Nyadire — Mutambara had a good crop because of irrigation, followed by Old Mutare. Old Mutare received more rains as compared to Hanwa and Nyadire. The last two were most hard hit, and the crops are a total write-off.”

Despite the losses, he said, there are bright spots, adding that he is thankful for the support by Zimbabwe Volunteer in Mission at Hanwa for supporting the construction of a greenhouse. “This will help learners to acquire knowledge and skills. Job creation will be an added advantage for the community.”

Jeranyama said there also is an effort at Nyadire to partner with financial institutions and secure center pivots for irrigation. “We aim to clear 100 hectares (247 acres), and this will help to sustain the project and a significant area will be put under irrigation,” he said.

“It is my hope that, with these efforts, our farms will become the breadbaskets in their areas and be self-sustaining in the near future.”

Chingwe is a communicator for the Zimbabwe East Conference.

News media contact: Julie Dwyer at newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free Daily or Weekly Digests.

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now
Disaster Relief
Philippine Coast Guard personnel evacuate residents in the Bicol region on Oct. 24 after floodwaters rose quickly due to heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Trami (called Kristine in the Philippines). United Methodists are among those rallying to help survivors in the wake of Trami and several other tropical storms that battered the region. Photo courtesy of the Ako Bicol Online TV Facebook page.

Church responds as typhoons batter Philippines

Filipino United Methodists are rallying to help survivors of a series of tropical storms that have caused massive flooding, washing out roads and destroying homes and crops.
Disaster Relief
Al Tompkins and Carolyn Koontz talk with Anita McKinney on the porch of her home in Newland, N.C. Screengrab by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

‘I’m blessed’: Church crews respond to storms

United Methodists from Moneta, Virginia, got to work in Western North Carolina, helping with recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene caused massive flooding in the region.
Disaster Relief
Emma Asores (right) and Romuel “Dojoe” Flores walk among idled fishing boats in the Mozon II neighborhood in Rosario, Philippines. Typhoon Carina caused three oil tankers to sink in July, prompting the government to ban fishing in villages around Manila Bay. The United Methodist Church distributed rice to affected families in Tanza and Rosario in Cavite Province. Asores heads the women’s organization in Mozon II and Flores is a consultant with the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s International Disaster Response unit. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Filipino United Methodists help fishing communities

After a typhoon and oil spill, church leaders joined with UMCOR and the local disaster response office to distribute rice and help combat climate change in coastal areas.

United Methodist Communications is an agency of The United Methodist Church

©2024 United Methodist Communications. All Rights Reserved