Embrace modern technologies, smallholder farmers urged

Government has urged smallholder farmers countrywide to embrace relevant cropping technologies to boost crop production and enhance food security. The appeal was made by  Ministry of Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Permanent Secretary Mr Ringson Chitsiko during the handover of 15 irrigation schemes in Masvingo Province that were rehabilitated by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

The ceremony was held at Stanmore B Irrigation Scheme in Masvingo District. He said it was worrisome that over one million hectares of irrigable land was being underutilised and that such a scenario compromised national food security.

Mr Chitsiko said it was sad to note that the majority of smallholder farmers still used archaic farming methods which were laborious.

“Throughout the world, irrigation is considered a vehicle for agricultural and economic growth and as a result, investment in irrigation has been accelerated,” he said.

“However, we are very worried that most irrigation schemes are underutilised and they lack modern farming implements and techniques to boost crop production. The rehabilitation of irrigation schemes by FAO is a welcome development for Zimbabwe.

“In the same vein, Government is calling for maximum utilisation of water bodies and irrigable land to ensure the country is food secure.”

He continued; “Maize is our major staple food (crop) and hence the need to maximise its production to secure people’s livelihoods”.

Mr Chitsiko said an estimated 1,8 million hectares were being put under maize annually countrywide, but yields were relatively low due to poor management of weeds and pests. He said most farmers were failing to achieve potential yields because of lack of responsive technologies that deal with some of these problems. He added that, if not properly controlled, weeds, pests and diseases can cause yield losses of more than 60 percent.

“There is a strong need for timeous control of pests, weeds and diseases to increase crop yields,” said Mr Chitsiko.

He said it was critical for farmers to change their attitude towards agro-based farming. He said they must be calculative and make use of fertilisers and herbicides to increase crop productivity.

Mr Chitsiko said weeding was still widespread in Zimbabwe, with farmers using hoes to clear almost 90 percent of the cropped area.

“This process is laborious and time-consuming considering that farmers spend more than 70 percent of their time weeding. Women and children contribute more than 50 percent of the labour.

“The scarcity of labour and concurrent rise in the costs of weeding make timeous removal of weeds by manual technologies difficult and expensive, leading to perpetual low yields and inadequate food at household levels,” he said.

He said herbicides effectively reduce labour demand and are effective in managing weeds that are difficult to manage manually. He said in areas where they (herbicides) were adopted, farmers resultantly increase their cropping area significantly.

“Development of agricultural technology will complement Zim-Asset’s food security and nutrition cluster and help the country in achieving Sustainable Development Goals relating to food and nutrition security for all,” he said.

Mr Chitsiko also urged Agriculture Extension officers to equip themselves with modern technology and to teach farmers innovative skills to mitigate effects of El-Nino induced drought.