Since January, there have been copious amounts of rain, bringing hope to farmers who believe this will be a good year for food security. 

However, some farmers, such as Pieter Morley of Kestell, who produces maize meal, despair about crops dying due to too much water in the soil. 

He says he can't imagine how much money he's going to lose this year. "I was hoping that more food will be cultivated this year but I have already lost hope."

The coordinator of agriculture in the district municipality of Thabo Mofutsanyana, Lebohang Moshoaliba, agrees that while the rain is appreciated, too much of it can harm the environment and have an impact on agricultural activities. 

"In the Free State, the rainy season is unimodal, occurring primarily in the summer," he explained. "As long as it isn't too much and farmers use the proper tillage techniques, it will be fine that the majority of the farmers have already planted."

He encourages farmers to use proper tillage techniques to avoid losing crops that could be destroyed by too much wetland.

He concluded by saying wet conditions favour diseases.

OFM News/Tumelo Khotha