Theseus Mauruki Shambare
FARMERS have been urged to minimise losses at every stage of agricultural production, from conserving soil moisture during crop establishment to controlling pests and protecting harvested grain, as Zimbabwe prepares for the anticipated El Niño-induced drought.
Speaking at the Provincial Summer Plan Roll-out Launch at Charles Austin Hall in Masvingo, CP Chemicals chief agronomist and technical manager Mr Martin Chamunorwa said farmers needed to tackle losses throughout the production chain to safeguard yields and strengthen food security.
“Losses do not begin and end at harvesting. They start in the field when weeds compete with crops for moisture and nutrients, continue when pests and diseases attack growing crops, and can persist after harvesting when grain is not properly protected and stored,” he said.
Mr Chamunorwa said effective weed management helped conserve soil moisture, while timely crop protection could minimise losses caused by field pests. Protecting harvested grain against storage pests and deterioration was equally important, as food security depended on how much of the harvest farmers managed to preserve.
Provincial Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services director Mr Caleb Mahoya said reducing production losses was particularly important in Masvingo, where about 85 percent of the province falls under Natural Regions IV and V, which are characterised by low and unreliable rainfall.
“Given our agro-ecological conditions, farmers must make maximum use of every resource available to them. We cannot afford to lose valuable soil moisture through poor weed management, allow pests to destroy crops in the field or lose grain after harvesting. Every stage of production must be managed carefully if we are to achieve food security,” he said.
Mr Mahoya said the province had doubled its Pfumvudza target from one million plots last season to 2,5 million this season, equivalent to about 156 000 hectares.
He said 64 percent of the targeted plots had been prepared, while some farmers had already started planting.
“We are promoting mechanised Pfumvudza to help farmers overcome labour constraints and prepare more land within the available planting windows. We are also targeting 5 120 hectares under irrigated maize, while encouraging farmers in rain-fed areas to grow traditional grains and adopt practices that conserve moisture,” he said.
Strategic Grain Reserve 200ha Plus chairman Mr Tichaona Mapfoche said agricultural resilience
required farmers to look beyond increasing hectarage and focus on managing production risks throughout the season.
“Farmers must be equipped with practical knowledge to make the most of the resources available to them. It is important that they learn from one another, adopt proven farming practices and strengthen their capacity to deal with challenges that arise during production. This is why farmer mentorship and demonstration centres are important in preparing communities for difficult seasons,” he said.
Mr Mapfoche said the hub-and-spoke model under the Government’s Six-Pillar Plan for Agricultural Resilience would spread knowledge through farmer learning centres, enabling communities to share practical solutions on water conservation, crop management and post-harvest handling.
