Nationwide crop assessment begins

FOLLOWING the delayed start to the 2023-24 summer cropping season and extended dry spells, a nationwide crop, livestock and fisheries assessment to gauge the nation’s food security situation has begun.

The 26-day exercise started on Tuesday last week and will run until February 10.

Agricultural extension officers are presently undertaking data collection on crop health, livestock conditions and fishpond productivity at randomly selected farms throughout the country’s 1 600 wards.

The data will then be digitally transmitted to provincial offices before being relayed to the head office. The crop assessment exercise will provide early information on the season’s progress in relation to national agriculture and food security targets.

Preliminary indications from the ongoing exercise are, however, showing a fair to good-quality crop in most parts of the country.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said the teams were carrying out the assessment countrywide under the

Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS) directorate.

In a separate interview, AARDS acting chief director Mr Leonard Munamati said the exercise was progressing well.

“The whole assessment period from training to report writing is covering the period from January 16 to February 10,” he said.

“We are sure and certain that our staff will do diligent work.”

Crop condition, he said, had significantly improved despite the dry spell at the start of the season.

“However, we will be in a position to inform the nation soon after we get a detailed report from our staff; that will be after February 10.”

The Government, he said, had provided extension workers with over 6 000 motorcycles and waterproofed riders’ suits to facilitate completion of the exercise. They have also been equipped with satellite-linked mobile tablets for data collection.

AARDS provincial director for Manicaland Mrs Philipa Rwambiwa said the recent rains have brought renewed hope for an improved cropping season.

“The crop condition is fair to good depending on the area,” she said.

“With the recent rains, the crop condition is going to be very good. We hope that the rains will continue.”

Mashonaland West AARDS provincial director Ms Evelyn Ndoro said farmers in the province are currently battling leaching and weeds.

“Following the incessant rains we were receiving throughout the province, some crops are showing signs of leaching.

“We are urging farmers to apply top-dressing fertiliser supplements and use any sunbreak for weed control,” she said.

Generally, she added, the crop situation was good, with potential for a decent harvest.

“We only had an unfortunate incident where different farmers lost 23 cattle to suspected cyanide poisoning after consuming water from a stream close to a mining claim.

“But the general condition of livestock is very impressive ...”

Farmers have since been urged to continue scouting for armyworm and fall armyworm.

“An incident of armyworm has been reported in Sanyati district and our extension officers reacted to it. We are urging farmers to report cases of armyworm and fall armyworm so that we protect our crops and ensure food security,” said Ms Ndoro.

In Matabeleland North province, Mr Dumisani Nyoni, the provincial AARDS director, said the condition of crops and livestock had significantly improved.

“Our province is largely a livestock zone and the current rains have brought relief to our farmers. We were experiencing poverty deaths, but now our pasture situation has greatly improved, and livestock is now picking up,” he said.

“Tick infestations have become a problem since the efficacy of dipping reduces under wet conditions. We encourage farmers to also employ tick-grease to supplement dipping.”

Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department director Mr Milton Makumbe said the sector has been affected by a prolonged cold spell towards the summer, which affected stocking.

“The time we were expecting the winter cold to be over, the cold spell spilled over to the period we wanted to stock our dams and fish ponds,” he said.

“Generally, fish require warm conditions but when the dry spell persisted, we were faced by challenges of drying up of some of the water sources. However, the situation improved when the rains finally came and as we speak, we are harvesting and stocking, concurrently,” he said.