GMB allows farmers to swap traditional grains with maize

Precious Manomano

Herald Reporter

With farmers in dry regions such as Mbire and Muzarabani being supported exclusively for traditional grains the GMB will be allowing them to swap one tonne of traditional grain for maize, so they can include some “white sadza” in their personal diet.

Traditional grains are more drought resistant and can cope with fairly long dry intervals, so harvests are possible where maize is likely to be wiped out. But farmers in these arid areas still want to try for some maize, even if they lose the crop most years. The Government feels that inputs will be wasted unless a harvest is almost certain, so no longer backs maize in marginal or unsuitable areas, but has introduced the swap scheme along with premiums for quality harvests of traditional grain to encourage farmers to specialise in crops suitable for their areas.

The area planted under traditional crops this year has increased significantly compared to last season as farmers diversify to boost food and nutrition security and following the switch in inputs schemes that made traditional grains the crop of choice in marginal areas.

Speaking during a winter wheat preplanting seminar in Glendale, Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr John Basera has directed Regions 4, 5a and 5b to grow traditional grains as a way to promote and climate proof agriculture.

Government’s push not to leave anyone or any place behind in its developmental programmes is set to see farmers in dry regions benefiting from value addition of traditional grains, in areas considered very marginal or unsuitable for maize.

“We are on a big ride to promote traditional grains in Zimbabwe and this is the sure way of promoting and climate proofing agriculture.

“Government put in place a number of policies and interventions to promote the production of traditional grains. We also introduced an incentive for a premium price of traditional grains and we introduced a grain swap scheme. We appreciate our smallholder farming sector. ”“Traditional grains are more nutritious but we are obsessed with white sadza and as such we introduced the grain swap scheme targeting Mbire, Muzarabani and other dry regions,” said Dr Basera.

Farmers in these areas who grew traditional grains could go to the GMB and exchange one tonne of traditional grains for maize whether it was for consumption or for sale.

“In Regions 4; 5a and region 5b, we want farmers to grow traditional grains there so farmers who want to exchange traditional grains with white maize should approach GMB depots for a swap, ’’ he said.

Dr Basera added that increase in productivity was the most critical element in farming.

The estimated maize production this year is 2 298 281 tonnes, a 58 percent increase on the 1 453 031 tonnes produced last season.

Traditional grains production is estimated at 280 966 tonnes, 45percent more than 194 100 tonnes produced last season.

Sorghum production is expected to be 191 125 tonnes, which is 32 percent more than 144 633 tonnes obtained in the last season.

Pearl millet production is expected to be at 71 221 tonnes, which is 61 percent more than 44 143 tonnes produced. Finger millet production is expected to be 18 610 tonnes, which is a 250 percent increase from 5 321 tonnes produced last season.

Traditional grains are the recommended crops for marginal and vulnerable areas highly susceptible to the changing climate, although farmers with good rainfall are more than welcome to grow them as well.

The traditional grains, associated with value creation in the agro-processing segment of the agri-food value chain will largely benefit farmers in agro-ecological regions four and five where they receive erratic rains.

Traditional crops such as sorghum, millet and rapoko are slowly becoming popular as people are becoming aware of their high nutritional value and improvement in technology which has seen the introduction of machinery for processing them. These grains, indigenous to Africa, were the staple diet for millennia until maize, indigenous to Central America, started taking over around a century ago.

Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Association Trust president, Mrs Depinah Nkomo has welcomed the development, saying productivity is needed in farming, adding that it is crucial for farmers to grow what is best achieved in their regions.

She said most farmers were now considering traditional crops because of favourable returns.

“I encourage farmers to grow traditional grains as they perform better than maize and grow even under drought. We are also sure of food security if we also prioritise traditional grains farming,” she said.

Recently, Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe said farmers were diversifying to traditional crops because of their high demand on the market and the awareness campaigns being carried out on the importance of healthy foods.

“More people are now health-conscious with some restaurants now even serving traditional foods. Long back, demand for traditional food was low, as the food was perceived to be for the poor. Now the affluent are the ones who demand traditional food and this has increased the demand for the food on the market,” he said.

Production of crops this season was financed through the Government’s Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, private sector contracts and self-financed farmers.