Agric experts speak on best farming practices

AGRICULTURAL experts have urged farmers to adopt best farming practices to maximise on production following the good start to the 2020/21 rain season.

Planting is already underway across the country following significant rains recorded in the country over the last few weeks.

Zimbabwe has set a target of 3,6 million tonnes of maize for this summer cropping season. The Meteorological Department has already predicted that the country will receive normal to above normal rainfall this year, giving hope that unlike previous years, the country is likely to have a good harvest.

Most areas have received adequate moisture and farmers have been urged to take advantage of the prevailing conditions to plant. What is encouraging is that many farmers, especially those that benefited from the Climate-proofed Presidential Input Scheme Intwasa/Pfumvudza took advantage of the early rains to plant. According to agricultural experts, farmers can plant maize when they receive 25mm of rain and above.

Some farmers now have rain gauges to decide when it is safe to plant while others rely on advice from Agritex officers. Government allocated more than $4 billion towards the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme to ensure adequate inputs for farmers in line with the Smart Agriculture Strategy.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, Agritex chief agronomist, Mrs Rutendo Nhongonhema urged farmers to take advantage of the moisture to plant as delays could result in poor germination.

She said due to climate change and variability incidences, it is important for farmers to make use of information on weather provided.

Mrs Nhongonhema said planting can only be done when rainfall received is 25mm to 30mm to realise good germination.

Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (Agritex) Matabeleland South provincial agronomist Mr Innocent Nyathi urged farmers to stagger their planting to avoid the risk of losing everything in the event of a dry spell.

“Farmers should not plant everything now but should spread the risk by staggering planting. They should also take note of fertility either be it organic mature application or inorganic application,” he said.

“Fertility management isn’t about basal application only you need to also top dress your maize crop.”

Mr Nyathi said farmers should desist from the culture of planting one type of crop.

“In this case, our region is not a maize growing zone as it were. Yes, we have micro-climatic environments in some districts, but our major focus is small grain production, but we are realising that farmers don’t like that simply because these small grains are destroyed by birds,” he said.

“As a department, we want to equip our farmers in terms of alerting our office whenever they start seeing flocks of quelea birds. They should give an advance notification so that we alert ZimParks.”

Mr Nyathi said it was critical for farmers to prepare conservation works that will protect soil, water and crop.
He urged farmers to work with local Agritex officers on conservation methods.

“There are also issues to do with in-field water conservation and we emphasise that so that farmers are better placed in terms of taking conversation measures so that we converse our soil and moisture. Contour ridges provide a good drainage system and conserve water,” he said.

Mr Nyathi said Matabeleland South has targeted to put 116 000 hectares under maize, 56 000 hectares under sorghum and 36 000 hectares under pearl millet.

“This promises to be a better season compared to last year because the rainfall distribution has improved. Normally for sorghum our annual target is 30 000 hectare, but because of the Government-funded schemes we increased to 56 000 hectares. Other crops such as rapoko it’s 620 hectares, groundnuts 16 000 hectares, the hectare for groundnuts is 9 000 hectares while cowpeas is 10 000 hectares,” he said.

“In terms of cereals, I am confident that we are going to meet the target because we have a Government support scheme that is giving our farmers inputs.”

Mr Nyathi said for other crops the major challenge is lack of seeds as there was no robust national programme to increase the seeds.

Under the Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme, a farmer is required to plant 0,016 hectares while other the larger area of the plot is under conventional and plough drawn farming.

Mr Davison Masendeke, the Matabeleland North provincial agronomist, said while farmers have started on a high note, good rains are also associated with an outbreak of pests. He urged farmers to start crop scouting, particularly in light of fall armyworms.

“Farmers whose crops have germinated should scout at least twice or thrice a week for the fall armyworm. Once farmers notice eggs, they should destroy them as part of managing the first generation of fall armyworms,” he said.

Fall armyworms destroy both crops and pastures and the highest-density outbreaks occur during the rain season after periods of prolonged drought.

In terms of weeds, farmers are urged to use herbicide, a chemical used to destroy weeds.-chronicle.co.zw