CLAFA 2 begins as decent harvest beckons

Theseus Shambare

THE Second Round Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment (CLAFA 2) has begun today, as Zimbabwe anticipates a promising harvest following improved rainfall patterns that have revived crops across most parts of the country.

In an interview, Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) chief director Mrs Medlinah Magwenzi said despite an early-season dry spell, the overall outlook remains positive, with crops showing significant recovery.

“We are quite happy to say that although we experienced a dry spell from late January to mid-February, it only lasted about three weeks and affected roughly 10 percent of crops across the country,” she said.

Mrs Magwenzi noted that the most affected areas were in Agro-ecological Regions Four and Five, where maize crops suffered the greatest stress.

However, subsequent rains brought relief and enabled widespread recovery.

“After the dry spell, rains returned and gradually spread across the country. As we speak, the crop has recovered 100 percent in most areas, although about 10 to 15 percent in the drier regions may have been lost,” she said.

She said irrigated maize is now largely ready for harvest, while a significant portion of dryland crops has reached maturity or is in advanced growth stages.

“About 90 percent of irrigated maize is ready for harvesting, while between 70 and 80 percent of dryland maize is in the late vegetative stage,” she said.

Mrs Magwenzi said the commencement of CLAFA 2 will provide a clearer picture of the total area planted and expected yields.

“This assessment will validate the areas planted under CLAFA 1, especially considering late plantings, and will also give us accurate yield projections,” she said.

In preparation for harvesting, the Government has deployed 348 combine harvesters across the country, clustered to ensure efficiency and reduce logistical challenges for farmers.

“We have decentralised combine harvesters so that farmers do not have to move from one place to another. Each cluster will follow a schedule to ensure timely harvesting,” she said.

Farmers have also been urged to monitor weather patterns closely to avoid harvesting during rains, which can lead to grain losses through rotting and sprouting.

“We have already observed cases of sorghum sprouting while still in the fields and groundnuts sprouting underground due to excess moisture,” she said.

Meanwhile, preparations for the winter cropping season are already underway, with authorities targeting 125 000 hectares of wheat, up from 120 000 hectares last season.

The country is also projecting an increase in wheat output to 662 000 metric tonnes, from 640 000 metric tonnes last year, driven by improved planning and favourable water levels in most catchment areas.

“We have already started registering farmers for winter cropping, and inputs such as seed and fertiliser are available. Contractors are ready, and irrigation capacity has improved due to good rainfall received during summer,” said Mrs Magwenzi.

She expressed confidence that Zimbabwe will achieve a successful transition from summer to winter cropping, with planting expected to begin as early as April.

“With the current outlook, we are optimistic that this season will perform better than the last,” she said.