Good preparation needed this season

EDITOR — Summer cropping is fast approaching. Most farmers are looking forward to the season with much enthusiasm following their good fortunes last season.

Although we got a lot out of the land, thanks to Command Agriculture and the Presidential Well-Wishers Input Support Scheme, this coming season should be a season when Zimbabwe really takes off in terms of food self-sufficiency and agro-processing.

One sure way of ensuring this is concentrating on preparation. If everything is done on time, we will likely reap more than we got in 2016-17.

Some critical shortcomings emerged in the last round of cropping. Fertilisers were made available to farmers late, making optimum production impossible.

There was no urea, in some cases, to counter the effects of excessive rainfall in different areas. That is not to count the programmes’ blemishes. No.

If anything, these shortcomings should strengthen the country’s resolve to do better this time around. First of all, Government should guarantee timeous allocation of inputs. These inputs, judging from last season’s stock, include fuel for tillage, seed, herbicides and fertilisers.

Therefore, fuel should be released early so that land is prepared on time. Fertilisers should then be delivered in adequate quantities and efficiently. The same applies to seed.

Extension officers should also be equipped optimally and then unleashed on farming folk to guide production.

I’m glad Government is thinking along the lines of mega output.

That’s how it should be; Government supporting food production in a big way. Zimbabwe is on the right path. Sorting out time frames is all that remains.

Happy farming!

Mr Farmers, Chegutu