adminFarmers in Tunga, Siansore, Siabuwa and Chunga among other areas said conservation farming was proving to be beneficial.
Mr Shadreck Munenge of Tunga said rainfall in the area had become unreliable while most farmers had lost their cattle to tsetse fly.
“We do not have draught power as our cattle died due to tsetse fly. The system can be labour intensive but it is beneficial,” he said.
Some farmers said the system requires labour during the first years but becomes easier with time as the planting holes are renewed.
The farmers, however, said they could not practice the system on a large scale as the system was labour intensive.
Another farmer, Mrs Julia Mudenda said due to tillage problems, she can only produce for family consumption.
“We only produce sorghum enough for our families as we cannot cultivate large areas. In good years we get high yields but sometimes we end up buying food from Gokwe and this is expensive,” she said.
Mrs Veria Tshuma of Siamunsanga said the shortage of draught power had led to hunger.
“We cannot produce crops on a large scale. We now depend on buying food from Gokwe and this is very expensive considering high transport costs involved,” she said.
Binga Agritex Officer, Miss Sibusisiwe Pinkson said her department was training farmers on conservation farming and growing of crops suitable in the region.
“We urge farmers in the dry areas to grow sorghum and practice conservation farming but unfortunately some of them are resisting,” she said.
Miss Pinkson said non-governmental organisations used to promote conservation farming by giving inputs to willing farmers.
This, she said, created a dependency syndrome in the community.
“Some of the people are willing to participate in programmes only if they get material things from it and do not look at the long term benefits,” she said.
derick.khumalo