Farmers urged to diversify

MANICALAND farmers have been advised to diversify their agricultural options so as to boost both crop and livestock productivity while broadening revenue streams in the face of adverse weather patterns.

Addressing farmers during an Agritex field day at Tokwe Farm in Vumba last week, Mutare crop and livestock officer Mrs Bertha Mashayamombe challenged farmers to enhance crop and livestock diversity to improve the overall productivity and soil health.

“We are encouraging farmers to embrace agricultural crop diversity and not rely on a single type of crop every season; this helps to increase their incomes and improve agro-ecosystem.

“Manicaland has all the five natural regions, hence farmers should plant a variety of crops and avoid struggling to find viable markets for a single produce,” said Mrs Mashayamombe.

She said climate change was real and has a negative effect on overall agricultural production, making diversification a necessity as it buffers crops from the effects of climate unpredictability.

“Climatic conditions in the province are now unpredictable and as such, farmers should diversify their agricultural options. It saves them from the effects of climate inconsistency, extreme weather conditions and suppresses pest and disease outbreaks.

“So far the adoption of crop diversification has been very slow as many farmers have the obsolete belief that monoculture is more productive.

“This traditional way of doing things has been hindering the embracing of our call for crop diversification,” said Mrs Mashayamombe.

Tokwe Farm owner Mr Bruce Tokwe has heeded the call for crop diversification, and is hugely successful.

This year he planted sugar beans, maize, peas, pineapples, cabbages and also reared beef cattle.

“We have an array of crops and beef cattle, and we are working on various initiatives to penetrate the local market,” said Mr Tokwe.