NEW: Wrap up planting, maize farmers urged

Online Reporter

FARMERS have been advised to wind up planting maize as it is no longer opportune, especially in the wake of the El Niño-affected summer cropping season.

Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services acting director of crop production Mr Leonard Munamati told The Sunday Mail Online on Thursday that farmers should shift their focus from planting maize and consider crops like sugar beans, cowpeas and sorghum.

“Farmers must tail off the planting of maize. We have discouraged the planting of long- and medium-season varieties.

“Short-season varieties are the way to go in this lean season and farmers may continue planting in specific areas, but this, too, must end in a week or so,” he said.

He, however, said within the current planting window, farmers should plant traditional grains such as sorghum, millet, beans and sunflower.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe said they have since urged farmers to round off planting maize and focus on other traditional crops.

“We told our farmers to wrap up planting maize. At this stage, it is better to maintain what we have already planted to avoid losses.

“Good agronomic practices entail knowing the timing of field operations. Those with maize crops in the vegetative state should be applying top-dressing fertiliser,” he said.

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), a non-Governmental organisation, is promoting the adoption of agro-ecology in the light of climate change.

VSO manager Mr Simba Guzha said: “Agro-ecology promotes the growing of indigenous or orphan crops and diversity that are well-suited to low-rainfall areas and during El Niño-induced seasons like we are having now.

“We are urging farmers to accelerate planting of these crops during this time because they thrive and can secure food security from household level to national level.”

Zimbabwe, like any other Southern African Development Community (Sadc) country, is experiencing the El Niño weather phenomenon that has led to delayed and normal to below-normal rainfall.