Mash West gears for summer cropping season

Conrad Mupesa

Mashonaland West Bureau

Mashonaland West plans to put 360 000 hectares under maize this summer cropping season, as the province continues to increase agricultural production in line with the Government agenda of ensuring national food security.

Government has already started distributing inputs under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, which is targeting 3,5 million farmers.

Mashonaland West is the country’s major grains and tobacco producer, and is also expected to record a bumper wheat harvest this year after having put over 27 000 hectares under that crop.

The majority of the crop is in good condition.

Apart from the maize target, the province has also put in place a 52 800-hectare target for tobacco and 27 000 hectares for sorghum during the season.

Speaking in Chinhoyi recently during a summer cropping season preparatory meeting, Agricultural and Recovery Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) provincial director Mrs Evelyn Ndoro said the province has set several targets for this season.

The province is confident of meeting the set targets as various input support schemes, including the Pfumvudza Intwasa programme and the National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme (NEAPS) would help farmers.

“Currently, our extension workers are busy encouraging farmers to prepare their plots for the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme and, once a farmer establishes three plots or more, they can be registered and we can distribute inputs to them,” said Mrs Ndoro.

“We are hoping that we will be able to distribute a great part of these inputs before the start of the season.

“We are also hoping that by mid-September, we should be in a position to start distributing inputs.” Pfumvudza inputs would be distributed in line with their ecological regions, with farmers in natural regions 4 and 5 getting sorghum rather than maize seed.

Mrs Ndoro said those who do not want to eat the sorghum can make use of the grain swap programme where a farmer can take their sorghum to GMB in exchange for maize on a one-to-one basis for up to 1 tonne.

“We are, therefore, mobilising maize to be moved to as far to reach areas such as Kariba so that farmers can easily access it,” said Mrs Ndoro.

Commercial farmers in the province have also been registered with CBZ and AFC Land and Development Bank, applying for farming loans as they await to contribute to this year’s targets.

However, the farmers have expressed concern over the El Nino-induced low rainfall.

“We are ready for the season and we have heard of the projected unfavourable weather. Thus, we hope if inputs can be distributed early, the better for us.

“We are also calling on farmers not to wait for Government support, but they should make their own initiatives,” said Mhangura commercial farmer, Ms Nomhle Mliswa.

A communal farmer from the Chitomborwizi area in Makonde, Mr Ernest Jakarasi, appealed for enough fertilisers this season so that farmers fully use their arable areas.