US$6,6m, 37 tractors for soil conservation
GOVERNMENT has deployed 37 tractors and other high-tech agricultural equipment for soil conservation operations countrywide before the onset of the rains.
Treasury has since disbursed US$6,6 million for the operations.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development plans to refill 25 major gullies and reclaim 100 000 hectares for agricultural purposes.
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation and Soil Conservation chief director Engineer Edwin Zimunga told The Sunday Mail that climate change has contributed to soil erosion, which negatively affects agricultural production.
“It is against this background that we have acquired and set aside 37 (107 horsepower) tractors, graders, backhoe loaders, trailers, drones, laser land levellers for the conservation works,”he said.
The Government adopted catchment area-based conservation works to protect and preserve agricultural soils across the country.
The Pfumvudza/Intwasa conservation agriculture model, said Eng Zimunga, enhances soil and water conservation.
“It is a flagship practice of the ministry and, as a department, we are supporting our sister department, the Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS), which implements Pfumvudza.”
He said land degradation was on the rise, as evidenced by dam siltation, river drying and huge gullies.
“To correct this, part of our work is to conserve land by reclaiming gullies, restoring bad lands and managing agricultural water systems as part of mitigating and adapting to climate change.
“We are also into contour and terrace management, and the construction of small weirs and dams.
“We are also encouraging water harvesting by farmers,” he added.
Eng Zimunga said these operations are crucial considering that the 2023/2024 summer cropping season will be affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon.
“Water conservation will be key during this type of season and our target is to leave no land, no farmer and no water body behind as we seek to climate-proof our agriculture.
“As we speak, great strides have been recorded in Manicaland province, where our team in Nyanyadzi has restored a vast expanse of land to its good state for agricultural purposes.”