Chronicle Editor
Midlands Bureau Chief
FARMERS in the Midlands province who participated in the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme are optimistic about recording a good harvest because their crops were not affected by the dry spell that was experienced two weeks ago.
The Second Republic has made food security a top priority and is working towards a US$8,2 billion agriculture industry economy, contributing 20 percent of GDP by 2025, underpinned by the country’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) – the driver towards Vision 2030 to make Zimbabwe an upper middle-income economy.
Over 200 000 farmers in the province received inputs under Intwasa/Pfumvudza.
In an interview yesterday, Midlands Provincial Director Agricultural and Rural Developmental Services Mrs Medlinah Magwenzi said crops in most districts across the province are looking good.
“Gokwe North, South, Kwekwe, Gweru, and Mvuma have a fair to good crop. The excelling one is under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa concept because it survived the dry spell through mulch. Farmers in the Midlands province who put their crop under Pfumvudza/ Intwasa programme are optimistic about recording good harvests during the 2022/2023 cropping season because their crops were not affected by the dry spell that was experienced two weeks ago,” she said.
She commended farmers who used manure in place of fertiliser.
“There are some farmers who devised a system to replace top dressing that was and is still not adequate by use of manure and water,” she said.
Mrs Magwenzi said most crops in Mberengwa, parts of Zvishavane and Shurugwi districts are in a bad shape because of erratic rains.
She said the maize in those areas has moisture stress.
Mrs Magwenzi said cotton farmers in Gokwe North and South will smile all the way to the bank.
“Some farmers embarked on the Pfumvudza/Intwasa concept and their crops are looking great. Some did mechanical zero planting and conventional farming but Pfumvudza/ Intwasa is leading. The farmers have done great work this season. The province has done pretty well on tobacco, soyabeans, and groundnuts. The crops are promising a good yield, and most farmers in the province controlled weeds,” she said.
Mrs Magwenzi said the province declared war on weeds under the programme called “War Against Weeds” where farmers were trained to control weeds with herbicides.
“So we have noticed that many fields are weed free, implying high yields which is what the Government is working towards so that the country is food sufficient,” she said.
Mrs Magwenzi said fall army worm threatened the crops, but there was full supply of the chemical at Grain Marketing Board depots hence it is under control.
In terms of livestock update, Mrs Magwenzi said: “Unfortunately, we had January Disease affecting quite a number of our cattle in Mvuma, Mberengwa, Shurugwi and Zvishavane districts. More than 130 cattle in the Midlands province have succumbed to the January disease but we are grateful to the Government through the Department of Veterinary Services which has been on the ground and now the disease is under control.”
Online Reporter