2022年10月27日 VOA慢速英语：津巴布韦期待有史以来最大的小麦收成

  The African nation of Zimbabwe said it is close to reaching its largest-ever wheat harvest.
非洲国家津巴布韦表示，它接近实现有史以来最大的小麦收成。
 
The country's agricultural leaders say the harvest should produce 380,000 tonnes, an 80,000-tonne increase from 2021. The amount is also 20,000 more tonnes than the nation requires, which would leave a small supply for future use.
该国农业领导人表示，收成应该会产生 380,000 吨，比 2021 年增加 80,000 吨。数量也比国家需要的多 20,000 吨，这将留下少量供应以供未来使用。
 
Zimbabwe began to farm wheat in 1962.
津巴布韦于 1962 年开始种植小麦。
 
Agriculture deputy minister Vangelis Haritatos spoke with the Associated Press by telephone.
农业部副部长 Vangelis Haritatos 通过电话与美联社进行了交谈。
 
"A lot of countries are facing shortages, but the opposite is happening in Zimbabwe," he said.
“很多国家都面临短缺，但津巴布韦的情况正好相反，”他说。
 
However, wildfires and expected rains remain a threat to crops yet to be harvested.
然而，野火和预期的降雨仍然对尚未收获的作物构成威胁。
 
The war in Ukraine has hurt many African nations who depend on wheat imports from that country and its invader, Russia. A United Nations report says African nations import 44 percent of their grain from Russia and Ukraine.
乌克兰战争伤害了许多依赖从该国及其入侵者俄罗斯进口小麦的非洲国家。联合国的一份报告称，非洲国家 44% 的粮食从俄罗斯和乌克兰进口。
 
Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the war as a "wake-up call."
津巴布韦总统埃默森·姆南加古瓦将这场战争描述为“警钟”。
 
The country's agriculture ministry went to work. Haritatos said Zimbabwe asked hundreds of small farm owners to work together to start growing wheat. The government then worked to improve water availability and provide fertilizer for the farmers.
该国农业部开始工作。哈里塔托斯说，津巴布韦要求数百名小农场主共同努力开始种植小麦。政府随后努力改善水供应并为农民提供肥料。
 
Wheat has taken over some of the farmland normally used for winter corn. Zimbabwe believes it has enough corn stored to help with any future shortages.
小麦已经占据了一些通常用于种植冬玉米的农田。津巴布韦相信它有足够的玉米储备来帮助解决未来的短缺问题。
 
 
The country wants to see 100,000 hectares of farmland growing wheat next season, a 25 percent increase.
该国希望在下个季节看到 100,000 公顷的农田种植小麦，增加 25%。
 
Haritatos said Zimbabwe's success in growing wheat this year came because of the small farms. He said many countries do not believe that operators of small farms can add much to overall production.
Haritatos 说，津巴布韦今年在小麦种植方面取得的成功归功于小农场。他说，许多国家不相信小型农场的经营者可以大大增加整体产量。
 
"We organized them into clusters and convinced them it was possible," he said, adding that the war made Zimbabwe "realize that we shouldn't rely on other countries for food we can grow on our own."
他说： “我们将它们组织成集群并说服他们这是可能的，”他补充说，战争使津巴布韦“意识到我们不应该依赖其他国家来获得我们可以自己种植的食物。”
 
While the country is celebrating the upcoming harvest, which runs through December, there are still concerns.
尽管该国正在庆祝即将到来的收成，该收成将持续到 12 月，但仍然存在担忧。
 
Farmers are worried about damage that could come from heavy rains expected soon. Until then, the dry weather creates the threat of fires. Fires destroyed about $1 million worth of wheat in just one week earlier this month.
农民们担心即将到来的大雨可能带来的损失。在那之前，干燥的天气会造成火灾的威胁。本月早些时候的一周内，大火烧毁了价值约 100 万美元的小麦。
 
In an effort to get the wheat harvested faster, the government is deploying harvesting machines called combines to farmers.
为了更快地收割小麦，政府正在向农民部署称为联合收割机的收割机。