Use herbicides, farmers urged

FARMERS in Manicaland have been urged to use herbicides for weed control to reduce the costs of production.

Manicaland provincial agricultural extension officer Mrs Phillipa Rwambiwa said the use of herbicides reduced labour costs and was a more effective way to control weeds than doing it manually with hoes.

“If properly used, herbicides tend to be more effective and less time-consuming as opposed to removing weeds using tools such as hoes or uprooting them by hand,” she said.

“Herbicides provide an inexpensive way of controlling weeds, and are a viable option for both plantation owners and smallholder farmers.”

Mrs Rwambiwa said physical removal of weeds was time- consuming and often resulted in the weeds feeding on the soil nutrients that should be used by the crops thus reducing yields.

“Use of herbicides is less laborious and more convenient,” she said. “The farmer does not have to till the soil every time the weeds grow and therefore the soil structure is better preserved.”

Mrs Rwambiwa also encouraged farmers to make use of mechanised implements so as to boost agricultural and food production.

“Agricultural mechanisation can be used to increase marginal output in food production, as well as eradicate poverty,” she said.

Seed Co eastern region commercial agronomist Mrs Wendy Madzura also emphasised that the training of farmers was important, as they required constant guidance and education in the application of herbicides.

“Farmers need to stay abreast with information concerning herbicides and their use as incorrect usage can have detrimental effects on crops as well as the environment,” she said.

Experts say herbicides are important for soil conservation as frequent use of the hoe to till the soil exposes it to erosion by wind and running water.

However, they have some adverse effects on the environment, which include the build-up of herbicide-resistant biotypes where the same herbicide has been used repeatedly for a number of years.

Mrs Madzura said an integrated approach where a range of chemical, physical and other methods are used could be effective.

“Within this approach, it is necessary to rotate approved herbicides and to supplement these with non-chemical methods,” she said.