FARMERS in Chemba and Kondoa districts, Dodoma Region are losing hope for this year’s maize harvest as extreme heat dries up their fields.

Aziza Hussein, a farmer in Sambwa village, Kondoa, watches helplessly as her one-acre maize farm withers under the scorching sun. At over 60 years old, she has witnessed droughts before, but this year’s dry spell reminds her of the devastating 2015-2016 season when there was no harvest at all.

“If we don’t get rain in March, food prices will soar, and many of us won’t be able to afford enough to eat,” she says, already contemplating alternative ways to survive.

Like many villages in the semi-arid region—including Keikei, Potea, Mauno, and Salare—Sambwa receives minimal rainfall. Over the years, farmers here have been trained in improved agricultural practices such as intercropping, rainwater harvesting, and the nine-seeded hole planting technique to retain moisture. However, without rain, even the methods will offer little relief.

Inades-Formation Tanzania, an organisation that has supported farmers in Chemba and Kondoa for years, encourages techniques to maximize limited rainfall. Some farmers in Isini and Gwandi villages have managed modest harvests using the methods, but the ongoing drought presents new challenges.

Michael Kihwele, an agriculture officer with Inades-Formation Tanzania, recently visited the area and urged farmers to explore alternative sources of income. He advised them to consider drought-resistant crops like early-maturing maize and local sweet potato varieties, as well as poultry farming to generate income for purchasing food.

“Raising chickens can help farmers avoid total dependence on crop harvests. Selling poultry could provide a way to buy food from neighbouring districts,” he noted.

Women, who bear the brunt of household responsibilities, are particularly affected by climate change, as they must secure food, water, and firewood in increasingly difficult conditions.

Without rain, farmers in Chemba and Kondoa face tough months ahead, with hunger looming on the horizon.