Improved water flows spawn wheat hectarage expansion

Mangaliso Lawrence Kabulika

FARMERS under Marange Irrigation Scheme owe it to improved water supplies for this year’s surge in their wheat hectarage from last year’s 100 to 175, Mutare District agricultural extension supervisor, Mr Robson Makuchete has revealed.

Mr Makuchete yesterday told this publication that a blockage in the canal systems by weeds and sand had in recent seasons prevented water from reaching Blocks C and D restricting supplies to A and B only, an anomaly that has been addressed this time around.

“Improved water flows plus the availability of additional inputs from the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) on top of allocations under the Presidential input scheme have allowed the farmers to expand their hectarage this time around,” observed Mr Makuchete.

He also stressed the need to further improve the distribution of water throughout the scheme saying this would lead to even more successful wheat production.

“Currently, the distribution methods we are using are causing challenges that emanate from uneven allocations and are also labour intensive because one person has to do the watering using a hoe to direct the flow of water, which is time consuming.”

He also expressed concern at the quality of yields due to the shortage of the input support.

Meanwhile, Mutare district agricultural extension officer, Mrs Bertha Mashayamombe also chipped in saying credit should be given to the Presidential inputs programme that gave birth to the success of wheat production in the district.

“We owe it to the Presidential inputs by the Government, which we encouraged farmers in the irrigation scheme to take up as their support system,” said Mrs Mashayamombe.

The farmers received 60 tonnes of Compound D, 25 tonnes of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) from ARDA plus 125 kg of wheat seed, which were distributed at eight bags per hectare, another eight for AN and 10 bags of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN).

Lack of access to inputs for smallholder farmers on the backdrop of lack of training on wheat production also contributed to low production in previous seasons.

“Production was very low in the past due to lack of knowledge on wheat production among farmers. We have had to deploy an agricultural extension officer to work with the farmers at the scheme,” she said.

The scheme sits on 300ha, which arable with a membership of 256 farmers. Only 198 farmers of the 256 farmers planted wheat.

Marange falls under agro-ecological region 4 that is characterised by sandy to sandy loam soils with a low water holding capacity that has been responsible for low wheat yields in previous seasons.