NATURAL FARMING REGIONS OF ZIMBABWE
Regions are determined by average rainfall and temperature of particular places.
FARMING PLACES IN THE REGION CROPS GROWN IN THE REGION AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
REGION ANNUAL
RAINFALL
REGION 1 Nyanga ,Chimanimani, -Plantation Farming : 1000mm and above Cold /Cool temperatures
Vumba Tea plantation, Coffee Plantation, Deciduous Fruit Less than 15 degrees
,Part of Chipinge Trees Plantations (apples ,peaches, appricots,peas) Celsius
Forestry Plantation: Gum and Pine trees
-Intensive Dairy Livestock Production
REGION 2 Mutare , Rusape, Maize, Wheat ,Soya beans , Tobacco , Winter wheat under irrigation 750-1000mm Cold Winters 16-18
Marondera ,Harare,Banket, degrees Celsius
Chinhoyi , Bindura , Karoi . WarmSummer18-22
degrees Celsius
REGION 3 Gokwe Kwekwe , CROPS : Cotton , Tobacco 650-800mm Warm Temperatures
Beef Cattle Ranching Mid Season dry spell 18-24 Degrees Celsius
REGION 4 Lupane ,Bulawayo, Insiza. CROPS : Drought Resistant or Small grain crops : Sorghum .Bulrush 450-650mm Hot
Millet ,Finger Millet Livestock Production (Beef Cattle Ranching) 20-25Degrees Celsius
REGION 5 Beitbridge,Gwanda , Chiredzi, CROPS Sugarcane ,and Citrus fruit under intensive irrigation 450mm and below Very Hot 22-30 degrees
Hippo Valley ,Triangle, Extensive cattle ranching and irrigated pastures Celsius
Hwange Extensive Game Ranching
Gonarezhou National Park
Hwange National Park
Region 1 has a high Altitude that is way it is called the Highveld.
Region 5 has a low Altitude that is why it is called the Lowveld (Altitude is Height above sea level)
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Change is a change in climate over a long time due to ever increasing atmosphereric temperatures
Causes of Climate Change
-Deforestation -Emission of greenhouse gases that destroy the ozone layer (GREENHOUSE GASES : Carbon Dioxide ,Carbon Monoxide. CFC GASES)
Effects of Climate Change
Climate Change cause - droughts -- floods -- cyclones - heat waves -
Solutions to Climate Change
1-Afforestation – 2 Avoid using fossil fuels instead use renewable energy sources like (-a) solar energy--- ( b) hydro -electricity energy ( c) –biogas
-To avoid droughts – use water serving irrigation types ( drip irrigation and pintcher irrigation) mulch crops ,build dams to harvest water during the rain season then use it for
irrigation throughout the whole year . ------ Drill boreholes for harvesting underground water .
-Change sowing or planting dates to match changes in rainfall patterns .
-Plant early maturity varieties of cereal crops to match new short seasons.
-Grow crops in green houses.
-Keep drought resistant breeds of animals like the hard Mashona type of cattle.
QUESTIONS
1 Define climate change?
2 ----------- , --------------- and ------------- are places in region one.
3 ------------ , ---------- and -------- are effects of climate change.
4 Write one solution to climate change .
5 Write three crops grown in region 4 .
6 State two ways in which a farmer can address the problem of drought .
7 Why do farmers grow small grain crops in region four?
8 Which region practice intensive dairy farming ?
9 Which crop is commonly grown in a greenhouse in winter ?
10 ----------- and ----------- are types of irrigation that conserve water.
