Farmers target 2m tonnes of grain
PREPARATIONS for the 2016-17 summer cropping season have begun in earnest with most farmers around the country busy buying inputs and preparing land as the country targets a yield of more than 2 million tonnes of grain this season.
Most communal farmers have started ploughing and are waiting to plant with the first rains, while some of commercial farmers whose land is under irrigation have already started planting.
Last week the Meteorological Services Department predicted that the rainy season will start this week amid persistent high temperatures. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Mr Wonder Chabikwa said about 500 000 hectares of land have been targeted to be put under maize this summer cropping season.
He said most farmers were geared for the summer cropping season and expressed optimism that the farmers will be able to meet the country’s grain needs.
“Command agriculture is targeting about 400 000 hectares for maize, while contract farmers are looking at 100 000 hectares which will give us a total of 500 000 hectares. With a modest target of 5 tonnes per hectare we should be able to achieve roughly about 2,5 million tonnes. Communal farmers will also come in and add but most of their produce will be for domestic consumption. All things being equal we should be able to meet that target and ensure that there is food security in the country and no foreign currency is wasted through importation of grain,” he said.
Mr Chabikwa decried lack of adequate financial support for farmers which he said was affecting farmers’ capacity to produce enough food for the country. He however, commended the Government for the command agriculture programme which he said had capacitated a number of commercial farmers whose land was under irrigation.
“Funding remains a challenge. Normally agriculture used to be funded but it is no longer the case and that is affecting farmers.
“We are however, thankful for the command agriculture programme. A number of farmers have started receiving input under that programme and it’s a positive move towards food self suffiency,” he said.
“For communal farmers I would encourage them to wait for the first rains before working their land, after that they can then do dry planting and wait for the rains to continue,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) has finished harvesting wheat at some of its farms around the country and is readying to start planting maize beginning this week.
Arda chairman Mr Basil Nyabadza told Sunday News last week that planting of the summer maize crop was expected to be completed by 15 November. The authority has 21 estates with about six expected to be put under maize where an expected 75 000 tonnes of maize are forecasted to be harvested. Mr Nyabadza said wheat harvesting had been completed at four farms out of the six that were under winter wheat and planting was set to start this week. He said the authority was on track to meet its maize planting deadline for the summer season.
“We have just finished harvesting wheat at (Arda Trek) Antelope and ploughing is underway. We have just finished Arda (Ingwizi), Arda Jotsholo and in the Midlands (Arda Fair Acres). Harvesting is still on at (Arda) Ingwizi and Mbuya Nehanda.
“Ploughing and planting should start immediately after we are done harvesting. Our target is to be done planting by 15 November and we are right on track to beat that deadline,” he said.
The summer maize cropping at Arda is part of the Government’s Command Agriculture programme which aims to boost food security in the country. At least 2 000 farmers who are near water bodies and can put a minimum of 200 hectares under maize per person are expected to benefit from the programme.