Farmers gear up for the summer cropping season

ZIMBABWE Farmers Union (ZFU) has said its members are gearing up for the 2024/25 farming season as evidenced by the advanced preparatory state.

In an interview, ZFU operations director, Dr Prince Kuipa, said there are several Government-sponsored programmes available to farmers such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa Presidential Climate-Proofed Agriculture Production Scheme and the National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme that cater for A2 and large-scale farmers, available to farmers.

Dr Kuipa said financial institutions that have in the past availed financial assistance to farmers are also expected to continue with the programmes.

“Farmers are already making frantic preparations with regards to land preparations. For instance, those farmers on the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Presidential Climate-Proofed Agriculture Production Scheme are expected to have by now dug the holes,” he said.

“Financial institutions with farming funding schemes should continue supporting our farmers, and we encourage farmers to approach banks early for funding.”

Dr Kuipa noted that land preparation in some areas may be delayed due to input limitations.

“For instance, some areas have hard soils due to drought impacts and require heavy-duty tillage equipment. The demand for tillage units outstrips the supply, hence the expected delays. Despite these challenges, we expect a good farming season and the farmers are prepared.”

Fertiliser producers have assured farmers of adequate supplies for the summer cropping season as they seek to increase local production and minimise imports, According to regional weather experts, Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries are set to receive normal to above-normal rainfall in the 2024/25 farming season.

The experts have advised farmers in drier regions of Matabeleland and other parts of the country to plant traditional grains suitable for their climatic conditions.

Despite normal to below-normal rains from October to December, the season is expected to change to normal to above normal between January and March next year.

This positive projection was revealed by meteorologists during the 29th Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (Sarcof-29)

In his State of the Nation Address last week, President Mnangagwa stated that the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (Rida) has scaled up assistance to communities with tillage activities as the summer farming season draws closer.

He said the Government remains optimistic about the 2024–2025 summer cropping season, with projections of normal to above-normal rainfall in most provinces.

President Mnangagwa said he was pleased with the pace of inputs distribution under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Presidential Climate-Proofed Agriculture Production Scheme and other programmes.

He noted that to date, various finance institutions and private sector stakeholders have committed to supporting farmers under the National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme.

The President further noted that the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has established agro-shops, mainly in rural depots, as part of a raft of measures to ensure food availability, at more affordable prices.

The establishment of 35 000 village business units, is gaining momentum, supported by the Presidential Borehole Drilling Programme and will further enhance food and nutrition security at the household level.-ebsinessweekl