Farmers get praises for rising to the challenge

Farmers have been commended for their resilience in the face of El Niño-induced drought, with the agricultural sector performing remarkably well, enabling substantial land to be put under cultivation for the 2024/2025 cropping season.

Speaking on the sidelines of a recently held workshop to review and update the country’s seed certification regulatory frameworks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Professor Obert Jiri, praised farmers for their efforts. He noted that both crops and livestock were performing well, with substantial hectarage now under cultivation.

“This season has been promising. Although it started erratically, current indications are positive. About 65 percent of the early-planted crops have reached the reproductive stage and are in excellent condition,” said Prof Jiri.

He noted that later-planted crops are at the vegetative stage and also in very good condition. Prof Jiri expressed optimism about the overall season, saying major crops, including tobacco and cotton, were performing well. He pointed out that there had been notable improvements in tobacco quality and an increase in the number of hectares under cotton.

Professor Obert Jiri

“We are currently conducting our crop, livestock, and fisheries assessment, and the report will be released next week. It will provide a clearer picture of the total hectarage under cultivation, but preliminary indications suggest we have met our maize production target,” he said.

“Our farmers have shown remarkable resilience. In addition to maize, we have a significant hectarage under tobacco, and surprisingly, cotton production has also increased. This demonstrates the commitment of our farmers, who have responded well despite the challenges posed by El Niño.”

In line with the Government’s directive to enhance both household and national food security, farmers have intensified cereal production. The Government has set an ambitious target of producing over 3.2 million tonnes of cereals during the 2024/2025 summer season, a major leap from the 750,000 metric tonnes harvested in the 2023/2024 season.

This bold initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure food security and aid the country’s recovery from the devastating effects of last season’s drought.-chroncile