adminSydney Mubaiwa in ZAKA
COMMUNAL farmers here have been urged to adopt new grain storage technologies and granary models that reduce post-harvest losses to improve food security.
This comes as farmers across Zaka are bracing for poor harvests following a difficult farming season characterised by low rainfall.
Most of the affected farmers received inputs under Government’s Command Agriculture and the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme.
District Agritex officer Mr Felix Gova said grain storage required special attention as most farmers were losing out to pests such as the larger grain borer because of poor storage facilities.
Farmers could only win the battle against plant pests and diseases if they identified them early.
“Smallholder farmers in communal areas have been losing grain harvests, especially maize, due to poor storage facilities,” said Mr Gova.
“They can now effectively store their grain in metal silos and super bags, which helps to prevent post-harvest losses and improve global food security.”
Metal silos and hermetic bags were developed as viable options and had proven effective in protecting stored grain from pests and rodents.
“This farming season, we urge farmers to be on the lookout for the devastating larger grain borer, which poses a real threat to our harvests,” said Mr Gova
Mr Gova said Government, through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, had availed chemicals to contain pests and diseases and urged communal farmers to work closely with field extension officers.
Research conducted by the University of Zimbabwe in 2016 in Mbire and Hwedza districts, showed that the hermetic bags and metal silos were capable of cutting off oxygen to weevils that damage grain.
The trials tested a range of possible grain storage options, especially in the context of the emergence of the larger grain borer, which has become a serious threat to household and national food security.
Online Reporter