Online Reporter
Engineer. Tapuwa Justice Mashangwa
The production calendar for agriculture is cyclical. Production follows patterns that are fairly constant corresponding to the seasons, in general affecting factors such as temperature, humidity, sunshine intensity, water, oxygen and nutrient availability.
The pattern recommendation for this November is that it is a good time to plant flowers specifically warm weather annual flowers.
For fruit production raspberries do quite well when planted this month. Grains to plant are maize, sorghum, millet, soybeans, cow peas, sunflower, castor beans and rice.
In the horticultural sector baby marrow, butternut, chilli, cucumber, okra, pepper are very good this time of the year. Other planting recommendations are nuts, tobacco, vanilla, yam and casing mushrooms.
The first thing farmers should always do is ensure that they have assessed the market for the produce they want to be involved in.
After market assessment the next thing to do is soil tests, have the soil test results interpreted according to the crop they intend to plant. After testing the soil budgets should be drafted to fully comprehend what production will cost and then have the right personnel in place.
Farmers and agribusinesses should always ensure that they have the right people in place with the relevant qualifications, exposure and experience. And lastly management systems. Many agricultural systems in Zimbabwe are failing due to the lack of efficient and effective management systems. As we explore production systems we will look at each progressive stage within production starting with soil tests.
The market research depending on the buyers can be done pre-planting or when harvest time is close. Losses in agriculture are always guaranteed when there is no market to supply or when the market floods with the same products. Market research is simple, one can constantly visit the informal agricultural markets, inquire with buyers from supermarkets, agroprocessors, agribusiness exporters and via the assistance of agriconsultants and or agribusinesses.
Soil tests typically test for various physical, chemical and biological properties of soil to assess its fertility, health and suitability for specific uses. Some common parameters tested in soil tests include physical properties. The subcategories being assessed are: soil texture, to determine the proportion of sand, silt and clay particles; soil structure, to evaluate the arrangement of soil particles and pore space and lastly, the moisture content which measures the amount of water in the soil.
Chemical properties soil tests evaluate are: the pH, which measures the soil’s acidity or alkalinity; the soil nutrient levels which looks at testing for essential nutrients like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and other micronutrients. Other properties assessed are the organic matter content, which determines the amount of organic material in the soil and lastly the cation exchange capacity (CEC), which measures the soil’s ability to retain nutrients.
Soil tests also assess the biological properties of soil such as the microbial activity, to determine the presence and activity of beneficial microorganisms and also the soil biota which identifies the presence of beneficial organisms like earthworms.
Other parameters soil testing looks at are contaminants. Testing seeks to find the contents such as pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides, or industrial chemicals and also to assess salinity, which measures the concentration of salts in the soil.
Soil tests help farmers, gardeners and environmental professionals determine fertiliser and amendment needs, assess soil health and fertility, identify potential environmental hazards and to develop sustainable land management practices.
After soil tests what follows is soil test results interpretation.
The first step of this process involves comparing test results to established standards or guidelines for the specific crop or land use. Secondly identifying nutrient deficiencies so as to determine which nutrients are limiting and need to be supplemented. The third part involves assessing soil health through evaluating the overall health of the soil based on physical, chemical, and biological properties. Lastly interpretation develops recommendations by providing guidance on fertilizer applications, soil amendments, and management practices to improve soil fertility and health.
Paramount considerations to weigh are: the crop requirements, that is understanding the specific nutrient requirements of the crop being grown; the soil type, to evaluate the unique characteristics of the soil type being tested; the climate and weather, to account for the impact of climate and weather patterns on soil properties and nutrient availability and lastly to ensure that the project goes well it is important to assess management practices, through evaluating the impact of current management practices on soil health and fertility.
The output from interpretation are: fertiliser recommendations, which provide guidance on the type and amount of fertilisers to apply; soil amendment recommendations such addition of lime or organic matter to improve soil properties and also management practice recommendations, suggesting changes to management practices to improve soil health and fertility.
By interpreting soil test results, farmers can make informed decisions to optimise soil productivity, reduce environmental impacts, and promote sustainable agriculture.
In the words of King Solomon, “There is a time for everything. A time to reap and a time to sow”. Furthermore he said, “There is nothing new under the sun”. The Zimbabwean farmers should not lose. There is nothing incomprehensible in agriculture!
The writer is Eng. Tapuwa Justice Mashangwa, GCEO Emerald Investments, CEO DataFarm, CEO Emerald Agribusiness and CEO TranslateZW. He can be contacted on +263771641714 and email: [email protected] or [email protected].
