admin
Mr Nsingo, of Plot Number 58 in Gwatemba, is looking forward to reaping more than 40 tonnes of maize from his 125-hectare piece of land.
The plot is owned by his daughter, Mrs Buhle Ndlovu, who assisted her father with inputs.
What puzzles many people in the area is how Mr Nsingo manages to produce high yields every year when others fail.
A Chronicle news crew visited the plot yesterday where farmers and Agritex officers gathered for a field day.
Field day events are organised by Agritex to provide an exchange of ideas on how farmers could improve their yields.
In an interview during the tour of the field, Mr Nsingo said the shortage of rains was not an excuse for poor yields.
He said he believed that every farmer could get a bumper harvest as long as he was committed and knew what he was doing.
“I make use of each and every drop of rain that falls. I use simple methods to reap good yields. I follow the advice of Agritex officers, I read farming magazines and listen to radio programmes on farming. I also take farming as a business because it pays,” said Mr Nsingo.
“I have learnt a lot from nature. If wild grass can grow and mature, that is a sign that crops can as well grow and mature even if there is little rainfall. I also practice dry planting. Early planting ensures that my crops receive the early rains and that there is no drop lost.
“The problem is that we have a lot of cellphone farmers. To me successful farming is all about commitment and hard work. The farmer should be there on the ground. Some people are saying a lot of things about me but the truth is that I work hard. As it is I have already stocked seed and fertiliser for the next season and come October, I will be planting.”
Mr Nsingo said a lot of people were failing to utilise the land productively because they were used to getting cheap food handouts.
“The problem is that most farmers delay planting. With the food aid from the Government most farmers no longer bother themselves. As farmers we should utilise the land and produce our own food instead of being beggars. Right now the country is importing grain from other countries when we are supposed to be producing ours.
“In my view the Government should give farmers seed and fertiliser as early as September instead of rolling out food aid. To me farming is much better than obtaining a university degree. I sell grain to the Grain Marketing Board and to locals. I am able to buy any expensive car using proceeds from farming,” said Mr Nsingo.
He said he had acquired his own land at Plot Number 8 Pioneer Block in the commercial farming area of Fort Rixon and paid tribute to the Government for giving people land under the land reform programme.
Speaking at the same occasion, Mrs Ndlovu urged women to venture into farming and work hard on the land.
“I am satisfied with this yield given that it was a dry season. Women are capable of doing wonders on the field. I work in South Africa but I come home every two weeks because my attention is on the farm,” said Mrs Ndlovu.
Chronicle observed that a majority of crops in the area had wilted before maturing.
Mr Nsingo’s neighbours blamed poor yields on challenges such as lack of draught power, delay in accessing inputs and poor rains.
Insiza Agritex officer Mr Augustine Mhike challenged farmers in the district to take farming seriously in order to improve their standards of living.
“There are a lot of farms in Matabeleland South and we need to utilise them productively to boost food security. There is a lot of talk about climate change and as farmers we need to revolutionise our techniques in order to suit the environment.
“Farmers should not relax on the farms. The country’s economy is hinged on farming and we all need to contribute something to the national economy. Let us strive to produce enough food for ourselves and everyone who has a farm should produce so that we destroy the dependence syndrome,” said Mr Mhike.
Mr Nsingo, who continues to defy the odds, has received numerous accolades as the best communal farmer in the country because of his farming skills.
He said he needed a tractor and pledged to double his production once he got it.
The event was attended by villagers, schoolchildren, and officials from farmers’ unions, councillors and Agribank.
Online Reporter