Cropping season preparations advanced

Precious Manomano Herald Reporter

All is in place for the forthcoming summer cropping season and so far most farmers have inputs in place, Government has reported.

Farmers have high expectations since the Government has set a conducive environment for a successful summer cropping season through capacitation of extension services staff and early distribution of inputs to farmers.

Preparations are underway and farmers are putting final touches such as discing, ridging, fertilisation and chemical dressing of plant stations, hardening of seedlings on seedbeds, pre and post weed herbicides have been sprayed in preparation to start planting irrigated tobacco tomorrow.

In the grain and oil seed cropping farmers have been busy cleaning up their Pfumvudza hole plots and adding more plots in many cases, as families expand their business activities so they go a lot further than just growing enough food and move into money-making by producing surpluses for sale.

Chief director policy and planning in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Mr Clemence Bwenje, who was representing the ministry’s Permanent Secretary at the 11th Annual National Agribusiness Conference held in Harare yesterday, indicated that the ministry was well geared for the season.

There is in stock enough seed for maize, sorghum, sunflower, soyabeans, tobacco and cotton as well as enough fertilisers.

He said currently there are shortages of millet seeds, but the ministry was working with other stakeholders to build the stocks.

“Seed availability we have enough for various crops and enough fertilisers. We have about 82 percent of our requirements in order. In order to unlock the situation there is a need for foreign currency of US$460 million required to unlock that so we really appeal to our Reserve bank of Zimbabwe to finance the banks to facilitate these. We have already started distribution inputs under the Presidential Inputs Programme,” he said.

AFC Holdings Group chief executive Mr Francis Macheka indicated that they are ready to support farmers adding that they have around 35 combine harvesters and enough tractors on the ground to assist farmers all the provinces.

“The target is to do 35 000ha of crop, but we can go beyond this if we get the correct farmers. In the winter crop we have done 10 000ha so on the current winter crop we are on 17 000ha which we are to harvest. We are prepared for our farmers. Every farmer we fund must pay back our loans,” he said.

Crop life Zimbabwe Agrochemical Association Chairperson Ms Mazvita Shumba said there were enough chemicals in stock to supply farmers.

“We are very much prepared in terms of inputs for the season, especially on pest management and weed management,” she said.

“We are looking at over three million litres of products to be supplied to our farmers from a herbicide perspective as well as insecticide perspective so this year gives you a picture of commitment financially. As an industry we do invest in ensuring that farmers get yields that they deserve during the season.”

CBZ Agro-Yield managing director Mr Walter Chigodora said the agricultural sector is highly vulnerable to climate change owing to its sensitivity to weather related activities such as drought, floods , storms, hail, pests and diseases.

“Adoption to climate change may not work effectively resulting in agricultural loses that threaten global food security and resultantly this has given role to agro-insurance in mitigating climate change induced losses in agriculture,” he said.

Mr Chigodora said this type of insurance helps to mitigate risks but provides compensation to farmers and producers for loss incurred due to high risk.

Government has increased traditional grain and maize production with inputs for the Pfumvudza programme being distributed according to agro ecological zones to ensure optimised production for every natural region. Crop varieties and sub-varieties are chosen according to what will give the best return to farmers in every area.

Experts also urged farmers to prepare adequately for inputs such as seeds and fertilisers and to consider other agronomic practices such as weeding, and suggested that farmers might need to consider herbicides to control weeds.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe said farmers must prepare adequately for the upcoming season to maximise production and boost their incomes.

“Farmers must adequately prepare so that they produce good results to realise good harvest so that Zimbabwe remains food self-sufficient. Inputs should be secured on time,” he said.

Experts warned farmers to watch out for livestock diseases and urged them to stock up on dipping chemicals and ensure consistent dipping.

The seed industry has assured the country that it has adequate seed stocks to meet demand in the forthcoming cropping season for both state assisted programmes and the commercial sector.

Agriculture is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy and is also the major foreign currency earners after the mining sector

The sector provides employment and incomes directly and indirectly for about 70 percent of the population and supplies 65 percent of the raw materials required by local industries.

Agriculture is also key in the pursuit of growth of the rural economy as the sector is up to four times more powerful at reducing poverty than any other sector. In fact, agriculture is the Vision 2030 accelerator; meaning getting agriculture right presents great opportunities for inclusive rural industrialisation, transformation and economic development.