HARARE
–
Rains
are
expected
to
lash
Zimbabwe
“from
November
onwards”
as
October
–
which
usually
sees
the
onset
of
rains
–
will
remain
fairly
dry,
climate
minister
Sithembiso
Nyoni
briefed
cabinet
on
Tuesday.
Nyoni
said
Zimbabwe
will
receive
“normal
to
above
normal
rainfall”
in
2024/25.
“The
month
of
October
is
expected
to
be
drier
than
the
long
term
average,
but
from
November
onwards
the
forecast
is
for
normal
to
above
normal
rainfall.
Farmers
and
the
whole
nation
are
guided
to
plan
accordingly,”
Nyoni
briefed
ministers,
according
to
a
post-cabinet
readout
by
information
minister
Jenfan
Muswere.
Poor
rains
last
year
into
this
year
affected
yields
leaving
20
percent
of
Zimbabwe’s
15
million
people
at
risk
of
famine,
according
to
the
World
Food
Programme.
Farmers
in
rural
Matabeleland
say
cattle
are
dying
owing
to
depleted
open
pastures
and
drying
water
bodies.
A
prolonged
dry
spell
could
devastate
heads,
particularly
in
parched
Matabeleland
South.