Unusually heavy rains have brought farming activity in Pandamatenga to a standstill, after flash flooding submerged more than 8,000 hectares of crops, threatening yields and future food supplies.
According to the Pandamatenga Commercial Farmers Association, intense downpours and storms on 21 January left fields waterlogged, wiping out crops including maize, sorghum, sunflower, onions and tomatoes. Executive member Ryan Neal said the area recorded about 200mm of rain in a single day, an event he described as rare and extreme.
Beyond the immediate crop losses, farmers are now grappling with broader challenges. Poor drainage systems have exacerbated the flooding, while damaged and muddy access roads are preventing farmers from reaching their fields to assess the full extent of the destruction. “The situation is critical and continued rainfall could result in complete crop failure across affected farms. The coming days will determine whether any harvest can be salvaged,” said Neal.
The floods have highlighted growing concerns about climate-related risks facing commercial agriculture in the region, as farmers increasingly contend with extreme weather events that strain infrastructure and threaten food production.
