More farmers take to the fields

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau

Rains falling across Masvingo province over the past three days have been enough to allow all farmers to plant their crops, and finish any land preparations, with experts advising going for the short-season varieties of all grains because of the delayed start to the season

The rains have brought relief to most communal farmers who had been forced to delay planting while the waited for enough rain to fall. Agriculture experts have called on farmers to intensify planting, to take advantage of the available moisture.

Masvingo province has been receiving average to heavy rains over the past three days, causing flooding in some areas. The majority of communal farmers in Mwenezi, Chiredzi, parts of Gutu and Masvingo and Chivi had not finished land preparation, let alone planting because of a prolonged dry spell, while those in parts of Bikita and Zaka had planted after receiving meaningful rains over the past month.

Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Professor Obert Jiri has advised farmers to plant crops using the current rains.

Masvingo provincial agricultural and rural development advisory services director Mr Caristo Masiiwa, yesterday said the province welcomed the recent rains and urged farmers to intensify planting.

“Most areas in the province have been receiving meaningful rains over the past three days and we want to urge farmers to take advantage and finish planting,” said Mr Masiiwa. “These rains provide a window for our farmers in all areas to finish planting; this is the time to plant there is no time to waste.

“Farmers need to plant in all areas and those who have not done Pfumvudza plots should do so and quickly plant because this is the time.

“However, we also want to urge those farmers who are planting maize to plant short season varieties that mature early because we are already way into the season. For those in Region 4 and 5, we urge them to also plant short season traditional grain varieties to cover for the lost time.”

Mr Masiiwa said farmers at irrigation schemes should also proceed to take advantage of the prevailing wet spell to finish planting.

“We have many of our farmers at irrigation schemes that had scaled down on the hectarage under crops because they feared irrigation water would be a challenge in the event of a drought but we are now calling them upon to quickly plant the irrigable portions, taking advantage of the prevailing wet spell brought by the recent rains.

“The rains that we are now having mean that dam water for irrigation schemes will only be used in future in the event there is a need to supplement the rains,” he added.

Farmers across the province expressed relief that rains had started falling and are hopeful of salvaging something from the cropping season.

Mr Garai Kufandanda of Mushanduri Village in Bikita, said he was happy that they have received meaningful rains in the past few days.

“While we had already planted with the first rains that fell at the end of October to the beginning of November, our crops were experiencing severe moisture stress because of the high temperatures and a prolonged dry spell, and we are now happy that we have started receiving rains.

“We hope these rains will save our season,” he said.

Mr David Masomere said he took advantage of the prevailing wet spell to finish tilling his fields at his rural home in Tagwireyi Village under headman Masunda in Chivi.

“Our area had hardly received meaningful rains this year and we had resigned to fate thinking we were headed for a serious drought.

“But I am happy that the prevailing wet spell has reignited hope of getting something from this farming season. I took advantage of the current rains to finish off land preparation and planted both the staple maize and small grains.

“I am confident that farmers from my area will pull through because we continue to receive meaningful rains,” said Mr Masomere, popularly known as DJ Masomere who was gifted a tractor by President Mnangagwa.

Another farmer, Mr Abraham Mupuwi of Gutu, said the rains had revived hopes of most farmers in the district.

“The rains have indeed brought some relief after a prolonged dry spell and we are busy finishing up land preparation and planting, now that we have been receiving meaningful rains.

“The trick now is to go for short season crop varieties because we are already now approaching mid-December,” said Mr Mupuwi.