Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
FARMERS must stop relying on favourable weather and embrace climate-smart production practices as Zimbabwe prepares for an El Niño season characterised by below-normal rainfall and high temperatures, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka has said.
Opening the 86th Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) Congress in Gweru on Thursday, Dr Masuka said farmers needed to treat drought preparedness as an integral part of production rather than wait for favourable weather conditions.
The Congress is running under the theme “Harnessing innovation for resilience.”
Dr Masuka said climate-proofing agriculture was critical to safeguarding food production and protecting farmers from losses associated with failed crops.
He urged farmers to diversify into drought-tolerant crops including sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, sunflower, cassava, cowpeas, sweet potatoes and indigenous vegetables.
The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has since issued a weather forecast warning that there will be a strong El Niño and below-normal rainfall.
“I hope that, as has been said, this will be associated with high temperatures and it means that everyone must take action,” said Dr Masuka.
He said farmers should avoid planting crops that are poorly suited to prevailing climatic conditions, resulting in crops wilting before maturity thereby wasting seed, fertiliser, labour and other inputs.
“If we plant cassava, sorghum, pearl millet, cowpeas and indigenous vegetables, these crops survive drought conditions.. So, if we embrace these drought-resistant crops, it will help us secure our food supply,” said Ministe Masuka.
He also urged farmers to match crops with agro-ecological zones, saying production decisions should take into account the amount of rainfall and climatic conditions prevailing in each area.
“Match the crop to the agro-ecological zone. Planting the wrong crop in the wrong zone will only lead to failure,” he said.
Dr Masuka said the Government was promoting climate-smart agriculture through programmes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, which helps farmers conserve soil moisture and improve crop survival during dry spells.
He urged farmers to prepare planting basins early, apply mulch and organic matter and adhere to recommended planting dates.
“Digging these holes ensures that even with low rainfall, the moisture is retained in the hole, allowing the crop to survive,” said Dr Masuka.
He said the moisture-conservation techniques did not require expensive machinery but depended on farmers’ commitment and proper implementation.
Dr Masuka also challenged beneficiaries of the Presidential agricultural input programme to use the inputs efficiently and work closely with agricultural extension officers.
“No one who receives Presidential inputs should fail to produce a good harvest if they follow these climate-smart guidelines,” said Dr Masuka.
Beyond production, Minister Masuka urged farmers to make household food security a priority by retaining sufficient produce for consumption instead of selling everything immediately after harvest.
“We want household food security so avoid selling everything. Do not sell unrefined or raw produce without keeping enough for your household,” he said.
Minister Masuka said farmers should retain enough grain and other food to sustain their families until the next harvest.
He also raised concern over food wastage, urging farmers and consumers to treat food as a valuable resource, particularly at a time when climatic pressures are threatening agricultural production.
Dr Masuka said building resilience required action at household, village and national levels.
Minister Masuka’s call comes as Government and the ZFU intensify efforts to promote climate-
smart agriculture, with drought preparedness, crop diversification and moisture conservation increasingly central to efforts to strengthen Zimbabwe’s food security and reduce vulnerability to weather shocks.
