adminSamuel Kadungure Farming Matters
Biological farming means farming in harmony with nature. It’s a holistic, sustainable system that improves soil health, in turn promoting crop, livestock and human health.
The three pillars of biological farming are soil biology, soil structure and soil minerals.
The aim of organic farming is to put maximum nutrients into the crop to promote maximum health benefits.
Organic farming uses only compost and manure, and no chemicals at all.
It sometimes uses soft chemicals in fertilisers and pesticides, but make sure these complement the soil’s micro-organisms rather than harming them.
Why biological farming?
A farmer can’t work against nature; he or she has to put something back into the soil to get something out. The micro-organisms that live in this particular soil are important, otherwise the soil would really just be a medium.
With rising demand for both table potato and processed potato products like potato chips and crisps, the Zimbabwean potato industry has been expanding over the past 15 years.
In the past, potato had been regarded as a luxury food afforded only by the rich. The latest trend, however, has seen many Zimbabweans adopting potato as a basic food and an alternative starch to the staple maize meal.
In the year 2013, a total of 11 300ha was put under table potato production. The nation produced a total of 397 600 tonnes of table potatoes from that crop. We expect farmers to surpass that figure this year as more and more farmers are realising that potato production is a lucrative business.
Both small-scale and large-scale commercial farmers are engaged in both seed and table potato production. The hactrages range mainly from as low as a quarter of a hectare to as big as 100ha for the large-scale commercial farmers.
Major costs are incurred mainly on the purchase of seed tubers, fertilisers and chemicals for the control of pests and diseases. These costs account for up to 60% of the total production cost. It should be noted that these are unavoidable costs if the farmer needs to realise desired yields and quality in potato production.
The major challenge faced by potato farmers is access to finance. The few banks and financial institutions financing this sub-sector are doing so at very high interest rates thereby squeezing the net returns from this enterprise. As such, some farmers are reluctant to grow as much hectarage as they may want since the lending rates are not farmer friendly.
The other challenges faced by farmers are outlined below.
Electricity load shedding and power outages disrupt irrigation cycles especially outside the summer season. Note that potato can be grown all year round in frost-free areas.
Faced with power outages some farmers have put in place diesel generators as back-up power.
However, the cost of generating power using diesel-powered generators is exorbitant. Because of this, power outages remain a challenge to potato farmers. Diseases such as Soft rot, Dry rot, Potato Mosaic Virus, Early blight, Late blight and Bacterial Wilt are problematic in potato production.
The Root-Knot Nematode and potato tuber moth are also pests of economic importance which farmers should always guard against.
Cultural control measures such as use of certified disease free-seed tubers is encouraged.
Rotation with non-susceptible crops will reduce chances of disease carry-over and disease build-up from one season to the other.
Planting Katambora Rhodes grass after harvesting potato helps farmers in the suppression of the Root Knot nematode. Spraying programmes for potato pests and diseases can be obtained from Plant Protection Research Institute and agro-chemical companies. It is crucial to follow such spraying calendars. The use of fumigants should be done only when necessary and upon receiving such advice from a reputable or government laboratory.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development’s Department of Research and Specialist Services’ Research Services Division provides a soil testing service to all farmers.
Soil samples for fertiliser recommendations should be submitted to the soil testing laboratory prior to each and every planting season.
The fertiliser recommendations will enable the farmer to apply optimum rates of fertilisers that the field requires. This ensures that the farmer does not lose out unnecessarily through over applications and also prevents under application of fertilisers. Soil acidity may pose a challenge in potato growing. Farmers need to have their soils sampled and tested by the Chemistry and Soils Research Institute laboratory to get proper advice on how to redress their situation and the liming rates required. Research Services Division also provides advisory services on seed production and certification.
Although seed potato production is about 15 to 20 percent more expensive than table potato production, the returns in seed production are also justifiably higher. However, there are higher risks associated with seed production compared to producing a commercial table potato crop. This is because if the seed fails to meet the minimum standards as specified in Statutory Instrument 213 of 2000, also known as the Seed (Certification scheme) Notice 2000, the seed tubers will not be certified and the farmer will lose out.
We therefore encourage seed companies to augment government efforts in training and giving advisory services to seed growers to ensure full adherence to both phytosanitary and seed certification regulations.
Potato production, if done according to the dictates of agronomic and plant health requirements, remains a profitable enterprise.
The issue of fluctuating market prices can be managed if farmers get into advance supply contracts with wholesalers, retailers and processors.
This ensures that the product price is known at the beginning of the production season.
MAMID through its various arms will ensure a sustained supply of quality seed to all table potato farmers. Farmers are encouraged to utilise the plant clinic services and soil testing services offered by the Research Services Division.
Online Reporter