2016-17 season exceeds target

Dr Made

Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter—
Harvesting of summer crops is in full swing, with all crops surpassing the targeted yields, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made said yesterday. The high yields have been attributed to Government’s inputs programmes such as Command Agriculture and Presidential Inputs Scheme, the farmers’ hard work and good rains the country received during the 2016-17 season.

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Dr Made said he was impressed that all crops including maize, cotton, tobacco, groundnuts, sorghum and millets had registered high yields.
He said people should not speculate on what was being delivered to the Grain Marketing Board, as figures would be released in due course.

“Small-scale farmers are desperately in need of grain bags as they are handling their crop by hand,” said Dr Made. “I am happy that the Tender Board has awarded the GMB authority to purchase grain bags, both locally and externally.

“I urge GMB to move with speed to ensure smallholder farmers get grain bags on time as they are not able to deliver their grain to the depots in bulk. GMB should distribute the grain bags across the country so that farmers are able to store and prepare their grain for delivery.”

Dr Made expressed concern that some of the crops had high moisture content and discouraged farmers from early harvesting.

“Some farmers would want to plant wheat, but they should not sacrifice the current grain,” he said. “We should not destroy what we already have.

“It is better to wait and have a full cycle of maize and wheat rotation next season than destroy the current crop.”

Dr Made urged farmers not to throw away the crop residues as they would be used to feed livestock.

Farmers can bale and store the stover as the country is expected to go into a livestock production programme soon.

“A lot of progress is being made concerning the livestock programme,” said Dr Made.

“The French and Italians have made extensive enquiries on the livestock sector in both the small-scale and large- scale sectors.

“We are busy on consultations and soon announcements will be made through the Food Security and Nutrition Committee chaired by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa elaborating the document on the procedures of how farmers are going to access various programmes.”

Focus on the livestock programme will be put on improving available resources such as the cattle herd and infrastructure.

“We will first concentrate on disease; vaccinations, deworming and other important practices to ensure the cattle herd is in good condition,” said Dr Made.

“We will also work on diptanks that are silted and those that need repairs. It is only the dairy sector that we need to increase the milking herd and milking machines.”