dyton mupawaenda
Bulawayo Bureau
Many parts of Binga District are marginal and require tailored crops if the communities are to achieve a high degree of self-sufficiency in growing their own food, with this need now the centre of new programme, Farmer Field School, which will change the face of the district.
One problem, confirmed by agricultural experts, is that people still try and grow maize and even in the last season, with one of the best rainfall records across Zimbabwe, the Binga maize crop was a write-off. Fortunately some pearl millet was grown, and this was harvested, but with the farming effort split with the failed maize grain is in short supply.
This coming season the Pfumvudza/Intwasa scheme for smallholders simply does not allow those in semi-arid areas, like Binga, to waste time on a maize crop likely to fail and instead wants the farming effort put into traditional grains and other crops suitable for the area.
The problem now can be seen with 80-year-old Aaron Mudimba of Siansundu Village. He contemplates whether to partake in his daily meal of isitshwala and beans at 11am or delay it until 5pm. Mudimba, a frail figure, is grappling with the consequences of an agreed-upon pact within his community – one meal per person per day. The scarcity of food in his homestead has left him with a difficult decision. He has the pearl millet that the village also grew, but the attempt to grow maize was a failure.
The situation facing Mudimba is not unique. Many households in Siansundu Village are grappling with severe food shortages, a predicament that has persisted year after year. The primary culprit behind this recurring crisis is the region’s inadequate rainfall. Binga District, where Siansundu Village is located, falls under region five, and typically experiences rainfall from late November to February, a period that significantly affects crop yields, especially maize.
“Last season, I managed to produce 20 buckets of pearl millet, which hasn’t been sufficient to sustain us until the next harvest. As a result, we are left with no choice but to limit ourselves to one meal a day, in the hope that our modest reserves will carry us through at least until January.”
Mudimba further laments the lack of accessible water sources for nutritional gardens. “Our boreholes have run dry due to plummeting water levels, and the local dam has dried up completely. Without water, we cannot engage in meaningful agriculture,” he explains.
Meddy Mungombe, a mother of three from Siamloba Village in Ward 8 under Chief Siachilaba, echoes Mudimba’s sentiments. She reveals that their food shortages are primarily attributed to the failed harvest in the past season. “Because we harvested so little, and with the added challenge of dwindling water sources, we have had to resort to having one or two meals a day. Sometimes, it’s just porridge in the morning and isitshwala and vegetables in the evening,” Mungombe states.
Walter Mugebe, an Agritex officer for Binga District, confirms the problem.
“Last season, all maize crops failed due to erratic rains, leaving many villagers in need of food aid,” he explains. Mugebe goes on to highlight the Government’s and supporting partners’ initiatives to combat this issue.
He stresses the adoption of climate-resilient agriculture known as the Farmer Field School (FFS), which promotes the cultivation of traditional grains like pearl millet and sorghum. These crops are better suited to withstand adverse weather conditions compared to maize, making them a more reliable food source.
The FFS is a field used for learning purposes, where practical sessions are carried out.
“For example pearl millet has high chances of survival. It is a drought-resistant crop if we compare with maize. We are pushing for traditional grains like sorghum under Pfumvudza/Intwasa packages and this time no maize seeds,” he said.
Vivian Saba, a local villager, underscores the importance of FFS demonstration plots in the fight against hunger.
“Through these demo plots, we’ve learned various techniques like reaping, pot holing, tide ridges, and basins, with the ultimate goal of enhancing food production and seed self-sufficiency in our ward,” she affirms.
Elias Hwenga, the Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS), said Red Cross is complementing the Government on climate-proofed agriculture. The project, which is piloting in two wards – Siansundu and Saba, aims to improve food security and resilience among the rural communities.
The project involves 30 farmers, 15 from each ward, who have been trained on seed production principles and practices. Each farmer has been allocated a 0.4ha plot to grow seeds, such as maize, sorghum, millet and cowpeas, while avoiding cross-pollination from similar crops.
“The 30 farmers will work on a 0.4ha plot each guided by seed production principles such as observation of isolation distance to avoid cross pollination from similar varieties,” said Hwenga.
To ensure that all farmers understand the principles and learn from each other, they have been divided into two groups per ward, with one lead farmer hosting a FFS for each group.
“Four FFS plots have been established across the two wards. These were established at equidistance to all the farmers who are doing seed production,” said Hwenga.
He explained that the FFS is a participatory education approach that brings together a group of small-scale producers to solve production problems through sustainable agriculture.
“The FFS approach offers space for hands-on group learning, enhancing skills for observation and critical analysis and improved decision making by local communities. The approach values context-based findings on the numerous problems that farmers encounter more precisely those caused by climate change,” said Hwenga.
The FFS demonstration plots will provide all the necessary practical knowledge needed for farmers to produce viable seed in the semi-arid regions, or driest parts of the country, by adopting moisture conservation techniques. These techniques include different tillage systems, such as basins, tied ridges, ripping and potholing, as well as mulching and composting.
Hwenga said that despite the poor rains predicted this season, the tillage systems that will be learnt at the FFS have the capacity to enhance moisture retention, improve soil nutrition, reduce soil erosion, improve infiltration and make farming feasible.
“Basins (0.1ha) are our usual 15cm by15cm by 15cm conservation farming/Pfumvudza basins. Soil is always placed on the down slope side of the field, to capture runoff and that the basins are not covered up when it rains. For effective results, these basins are coupled with mulch to add on moisture retention and suppress early weeds. The mulch also decomposes to add to the nutrient requirement of the plants,” he said.
He added that tied ridges are made across the breadth of the field and that just like with basins, soil is placed on the downward side of the slope.
“Water will collect on the space in between the ridges and for effective use, the ridges are tied. Tied ridges increase the amount of water in the soil profile by trapping or holding the rainfall,” he said.
He also clarified that ripping is usually mistaken with mounding.
“Ripping involves the use of strong working tines that penetrate the compacted soil and mechanically break up and shatter the soil hard pan. Ripping increases soil drainage by opening up the soil and allowing water to infiltrate at a faster rate,” he said.
He further described potholing as a technique and a form of conservation agriculture, based on three key principles.
“The three principles are minimal soil disturbance, crop rotation or inter-cropping – growing two or more crops together – and permanent soil cover using mulch, straw or other crops. Much bigger depressions than common basins are dug at an interval of more than a metre apart,” he said.
Hwenga said that at each FFS, there will be a thermal compost established for crop nourishment.
“The thermal composting is a form of accelerated composting that yields finished compost in 3-6 weeks (longer in winter), instead of the 3-6 months needed for static pile composting.
‘‘This compost is dark, rich, and free of viable weed seeds and plant diseases,” he said.
Online Reporter