• Land preparations on course •Food self-sufficiency targeted

Lincoln Towindo

Government plans to distribute agricultural inputs to collection points countrywide by September 15 to enable farmers to sufficiently prepare before the onset of the 2020-2021 summer cropping season.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said it was critical to prepare ahead of time, especially as normal t0 above-normal rains were forecast.

“Obviously, timeous input availability is key, which is why inputs have to be moved by the 15th of September to the various areas.

“And given the predicted normal to above-normal rainfall season, we can only expect the best,” said Minister Masuka.

The inputs are distributed through Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.

Close to 2 million farmers, particularly those who have been trained in the Pfumvudza farming concept, will benefit from the Climate-Proofed Presidential Inputs Scheme.

Government intends to improve production and productivity through helping farmers by providing inputs and extension services.

Increased agricultural output is projected to improve food self-sufficiency, promote economic growth and result in significant cost savings.

The country is said to be spending about US$800 million to import cereals every year.

“The biggest issue is we are prioritising food security; we have had perennial food insecurity for a number of years to an extent that we think food insecurity is a new normal,” said Dr Masuka.

“The country imports food every year because we do not have enough maize, soya or wheat.

“So, the intention is to accelerate the programmes that have commenced, especially climate-proofing our agriculture so that smallholder agriculture can then become self-sufficient . . .

“So there are a range of interventions that we can bring to bear so that we can achieve food security.

“In the process, annually we use somewhere in the region of US$800 million to import cereals.

“But once we assure food security, it means that we can redeploy that money to other areas,” he said.

GMB general manager Mr Rockie Mutenha recently said they were distributing inputs as soon as they received them from suppliers.

“We are distributing the inputs as and when we receive them from suppliers; meaning we are not waiting to first stockpile consignments before distributing,” he said.

Farming preparations have been buoyed by news that the country might have an early rainy season, starting with scattered rains in October and heavy rains the following month.

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) expects normal to above-normal rainfall, which may translate to a bumper harvest.

Minister Masuka, however, said the push to increase agricultural output also depends on increased liaison between extension workers and farmers.

“These various interventions would require a transformation, a radical transformation of the agricultural delivery system.

“And this means that Agritex has to do business as unusual; we now have to transform Agritex from just providing extension services into business advisory so that every farmer has a business mind-set,” he said.

Agritex principal director Mr Joseph Gondo said they were already advising farmers to step up their preparations.

“What we are doing now is advising farmers to continue with their preparations, particularly stocking up on inputs.

“We are advising them to join various support schemes such as contract farming and joint ventures. But in cases where they have their own finance, they should start acquiring inputs.

“We will advise on when to plant when the first effective rains have come, but right now it is too early to be talking about planting.

“It is only those who have irrigation and adequate water in the dams who can talk about planting early, but that can only be in October or early November.”

Government has set for itself a target of 3,6 million tonnes of maize for this year’s cropping season.

Last year, production of maize and traditional grains was estimated at 1,1 million tonnes against a national requirement of about 2,3 million for human and livestock consumption.