How can we enhance our productivity, especially of food crops given the looming possibility of normal to below normal rainfall expected?

Denias Zaranyika

AGRICULTURE is at the centre of the economy in Zimbabwe. It contributes between 15 to 20 percent to the national Gross Domestic Product. The sector accounts for over 40 percent of the value of the country’s exports, about 60 percent of raw materials to agro-industries and provides livelihoods to at least 70 percent of the population. Moreover, it contributes to about 66 percent of the formal labour force.
Maize is one of the most important cereal crops grown in the country. It is a staple cereal and is an important component of food security and livelihoods. Other important crops are soya beans, tobacco, vegetables and small grains.
In recent times, we have noticed per capita crop production and productivity (yield per hectare) slowly declining in most crops in Zimbabwe because of a couple of problems in the sector. For example, maize productivity has dropped to about 0,7 tonnes per hectare (Agritex Crop Assessment Report, 2014).
The major causes of this scenario are socio-economic, institutional, climatic variability, poor agronomic practices and poor resources endowment.
Now the million dollar question is, given this status quo, how can we enhance our productivity, especially of food crops given the looming possibility of normal to below normal rainfall expected in the southern parts of Zimbabwe?
We may be surprised that the answer lies in our hands as farmers, from all sectors be it large-scale (commercial and A2), small scale (communal, old resettlement, peri-urban and A1).
The everlasting solution is productivity!
And it must be based on a shoe string approach (SSA) (improvise with what you have) and is centred on the farmer.
What can farmers do to enhance productivity on the land?
Basically this is centred on the activities which farmers have control over and these are “agronomic” in essence.
Good land preparation
The assumption is that by this time every farmer should have their land prepared for the summer and ready for first effective flashes of rains to plant. If not done up to now, then it’s never too late but it must be done with urgency.
Since we are anticipating a normal to below normal season especially in the southern most parts of the country, then we should adopt conservational tillage techniques. These include tied ridging (planting on ridged farrows or planting on ridges), rip on rows (ripping along the intended planting row) and also zero/minimum tillage.
Recently, some farmers have successfully adopted a new technique called ripping on the inter-row to the depth of one metre to conserve moisture. The objective of land preparation must take into account the following: Minimum energy and equipment use, minimum damage to the soil and also maximum soil and water conservation.
Hybrid adoption, varietal selection and certified seed
This is very critical and pivotal on the success of cropping enterprises as it contributes 40 percent to the success story of the farmer, all things being equal. It is a recommendation that farmers must choose certified hybrids from recognisable and tested seed producers.
For example, in maize, farmers can choose drought and disease-tolerant and high-yielding varieties. For high potential areas (above 700mm annual rainfall), use late maturity drought tolerance varieties. Notable examples are Seed Cos’ SC727 and SC719 (these are drought-tolerant and yields up to 18 tonnes per hectare under good management).
Medium and early maturity varieties can also be used especially when planting a few weeks after the first effective rains. In marginal areas, we recommend the use of drought-tolerant early, very early and ultra-early maturity varieties i.e. tsuro, monkey and zebra.
Address the fertility issues
Firstly, farmers must take a deliberate mode of sampling soil pH and fertility analysis depending on the intended crop. If there are any imbalances in the soil pH and fertility, they must be corrected promptly. Low pH is corrected by liming.
Secondly, application of manure and fertilisers is heavily recommended to get good yields in all food crops and non-food crops. The key here is to apply the right quantities of the right type of fertiliser at the right time and place. For example, in maize the general recommendation for fertilisers is; basal dress (400-500kg/ha) with maize fret (Compound D(7:14:7) at planting and top dress (400-500kg/ha) at four weeks after emergence using Ammonium Nitrate or Urea.
Split application maybe necessary in cases where farmers normally suffer leaching or where soils have poor fertility.

Denias Zaranyika

Time of planting and spacing
Farmers are recommended to plant as soon as the first effective rains come for dry land cropping and also to establish their crop as early as mid-October when using irrigation. Farmers with irrigation must capitalise by planting high-yielding varieties especially of long and medium-maturity ranges.
Depending on the crop grown, farmers must follow the recommended optimum plant spacing as prescribed by experts.
For instance, in maize when planting long-statured varieties (usually late maturity varieties), do not exceed a population of 50 000 plants per hectare. This can be achieved by using these spacings: Inter-row, 90 centimetres and in-row 22cm. In most legumes (soya beans and sugar beans) always aim for inter-row of 45-50cm and in-row of five to 10cm. The aim is to achieve a population of at least 350 000 plants per hectare.
Disease, pest and weed control
This is critical as diseases, pests and weeds can result in 100 percent yield losses. The use of disease tolerant varieties is recommended. Major diseases in maize include maize streak virus (normally in winter), grey leaf spot and leaf blights. Let us spray pesticides whenever we encounter pests on our crops. We recommend the use of herbicides (pre and post emergence) so that the field is weed free in the early growth stages of the crop. For instance, in maize the field must be weed free for the first 10 weeks of the crop cycle.
Harvesting and post-harvest
Farmers must avoid losses during harvesting as well as after harvesting. Let us protect our produce against pest damage and theft. Farmers are always advised to look for lucrative markets both pre harvest and post-harvest. At the end of the day, it is profit that motivates us to produce more in the following seasons.
Other factors:
Institutional and information
Information dissemination to farmers like periodic weather updates, input availability, good agronomic practices, produce markets and prices, is also crucial in achieving productivity and profitability in farming enterprises. These are moderating variables in crop productivity and production.
Social
Membership to farmers unions and farmers groups is critical as it ushers in the information sharing aspect. Through information sharing and access to information on prices, markets, input availability, and improved varieties from farmer unions such as the Zimbabwe Farmers Union and the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Unions, farmers access social capital which they can use to improve their productivity and marketing activities. With access to social capital, team work and competition amongst farmers in a group, productivity can be enhanced.
Value chain players
These include agro-input traders, banks, extension staff, seed and fertiliser houses.
Their task is to avail inputs, credits, extension services, certified seed and fertilisers respectively, timeously and at affordable and favourable prices and rates. The silver line is that value chain players have played their part and now the ball is in the court of the farmer.
By upgrading themselves, farmers would be able to upscale their practices on the farms. Droughts occur but farmers the world over are known to be positive and forward looking — a phenomenon that has made it possible to both feed households the world over while at the same time improving livelihoods in various forms.