New winter wheat planting record set

Wheat field irrigation. Large field of early-growth wheat (Triticum sp.) with a centre pivot irrigation system at right. Wheat is a grass, and is one of the world’s major cereal crops. Grains harvested from the ripe plant are ground to make flour, which is used to make bread and other food products. Photographed in southern Alberta, Canada.
Zimbabwe has set a new record of winter wheat hectarage of 121 769 hactres, surpassing the set target of 120 000 hectares, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Minister, Anxious Masuka, said this during a press conference in the capital on Monday.

‘We have now surpassed the 120 000 hectares planting. In fact, as of this morning, we have planted 121 769 hectares which is 34 percent above last year, so we are well on course to achieving the targeted 600 000 metric tons of harvest,” he said.

“Now attention has turned to ensuring that there is adequate power for the farmers. We have clustered the 1 000 or so wheat farmers and we have dedicated command centres to ensure that farmers can report any power outages. We have a water command centre established.”

Masuka said there have been discussions on pest control in which there are 21 technicians, 10 trained drone operators deployed into provinces, five mounted and motorised sprayers to ensure the proper growth of wheat, adding the Ministry now has access to aircraft to ensure effective pest control.

He said the focus is also on agronomic practices for management to prevail throughout the provinces, he said, adding that farmer field schools will be held throughout the wheat growing belt, with the target being for every hectare to produce five tons of wheat.

“We have also turned our attention to the capacitation of extension systems including the motorization of Agritex staff, provision of the working tools including the gargets they have and the data that is required to ensure that they can adequately reach to farmers,” he said.

“We also have a robust monitoring and evaluation system both internally and externally. We have begun to activate the crop estimates committee so that they assist us in ensuring the area that has been reported is indeed the correct one, including using satellite aided area and yield estimation tools.”

The government has designated the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) as the food, feed, seed and oil security agent for the nation, said Masuka.

ARDA has reached 61 046 hectares of planted wheat, he said, surpassing its set target of 60 000 hectares.

“This should produce at least 300 000 metric tons, which should find its way to the GMB. Going to summer ARDA will do a minimum of 100 000 hectares, hopefully under irrigation, so that we can assure this nation of food security whether it rains or not.”

Masuka also spoke about the national climate proof agriculture through irrigation which President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to launch on July 5 this year.

He said there are 217 000 hectares of irrigation throughout the country against the potential of 2.2 million hectares, adding there are 10 600 dams and 12 under construction, which ensures adequate water supply for irrigation.

“The president will headline an irrigation investment conference on 5 July to mobilise resources and catalyse this irrigation rehabilitation development so that we can meet the targeted 350 000 hectares for summer irrigation in as near time as possible,” said Masuka. – New Ziana