Online Reporter
After harvesting only 635 000 tonnes of maize and other summer cereals last year, the country expects to pick about 2,9 million tonnes this year.
A drought, said to have been the worst to hit Southern Africa in 40 years, caused the damage last year. This year, however, there has been a turnaround due to the abundant rainfall the country received over the summer growing season.
“The projection is based on an anticipated cereal reserve of three million metric tonnes comprising an expected harvest of 2,9 million metric tonnes and an existing reserve of 83 526 metric tonnes,” Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, told journalists in a post-Cabinet briefing in Harare yesterday.
“This is against an annual grain requirement of 2,2 million metric tonnes. Notably, the surplus will be even greater if projections are based on the SADC regional average cereal consumption rate of 8,5 kilogrammes per person per month or on the national actual average consumption rate of 7,7 kilogrammes per person per month.”
Our people are excited that after enduring the indignity of hunger last year, they will have a surplus this time. Authorities will not have the trouble of securing food for a large number of people as they did last year. There will obviously be some who will always be hungry even if they get free inputs and abundant rains fall.
The elderly, the disabled and so on but they are not too many so we are sure that the Government and its partners will keep them well fed quite easily.
The weather was favourable this term, yes, but enough rain only makes sense if farmers, the Government and their partners devise and effectively implement an appropriate strategy. That is what happened this year. We, as a country, must always be ready with our plan, wait for the rains and get back to the fields when the rains fall.
Talking about plans — the time to plan for next season is as soon as a farmer harvests. They must have already started mobilising resources to buy seed, fertiliser, pesticides, implements and equipment preparing for the next wet season.
The Government is already hard at work preparing for next season as well. Financial institutions such as CBZ and AFC Holdings; input suppliers such as Zimplow, Farm and City, Seedco and so on must be looking ahead.
As we prepare for the 2025-2026 farming season with hope, we must acknowledge that it is become increasingly rare for the country to enjoy two successive good farming seasons. This is due to climate change which is making weather conditions erratic and unpredictable.
With that in mind, we stress the need for the industry to intensify investment in enhancing the country’s irrigation capacity. This makes farming more predictable and sustainable.
Continuous farmer training is key too as is strong collaboration between farmers, the Government and input suppliers.
derick.khumalo