adminFreedom Mutanda Chipinge Correspondent
ABOUT 700 hectares of winter wheat planted under the Command Agriculture programme in Middle Sabi area of Chipinge South are under threat from marauding quelea birds and mice.
An agriculture expert, Mr Teramai Maposa, said quelea birds and mice were attacking the wheat crop that has just entered the decisive stage of its life with ferocity due to their overwhelming numbers.
“At this stage, spraying may help exterminate the birds and save the crop from total destruction. This will also ensure food security,” he said.
Mr Maposa said quelea birds thrived where there are many trees and in cases where a wheat crop was planted adjacent to a field in which there is no farming activities taking place, the birds use it as their breeding place and wreak havoc.
“If all Middle Sabi A2 farmers had come on board in terms of being part of Command Agriculture, there would have been a spread of risk. Be that as it is, there are a few that have planted the crop so the birds and mice are concentrating on their crop,’’ he added.
Mice assault on wheat, on the other hand has been relentless, as they destroy the plant from the root causing the wheat plant to dry, while quelea birds revel in the grains.
“We have now engaged a consortium of sprayers. However, our success has been minimal.”
“It is in this vein that we urge the authorities to use aeroplanes to spray the birds. Our projections of getting three to four tonnes per hectare for this year may remain a pie in the sky if the twin evils are not eradicated,’’ Farm 40 crop manager, Mr Moses Masingita said.
When The Herald toured the area under wheat in Middle Sabi recently, some workers were busy banging empty tins to scare away quelea birds.
Some farmers are reportedly using rat killer and traps to get rid of the marauding mice on the other hand.
Apart from mice and birds, farmers are also grappling with wild animals straying from Save Conservancy which are threatening the wheat crop as well.
‘’Buffaloes, hippos and elephants are causing mayhem. We urge the authorities running the Save Conservancy to fence the area to forestall the imminent destruction of crops.
“This is national food security at stake. We should all be part of the agriculture recovery plan,” said Cde Enock Porusingazi, who is also a local farmer and National Assembly member for Chipinge South.
On the plus side, Middle Sabi farmers’ uptake of Command Agriculture has been magnificent and they now await the Soya Command Agriculture programme to get underway.
‘’Slightly over 20 farmers are involved in winter wheat production and many are waiting for the upcoming cropping season.
“Middle Sabi has always been regarded as one of the agriculture strongholds of the nation. With the rolling out of Zim-Asset and Command Agriculture programmes, Government is spot on in revitalising agriculture. The spin-offs are there for everyone to see,’’ said Mr Skumbuzo Thondlana, the Chipangayi Farmers’ Syndicate chairperson.
Online Reporter