Talent Hwari Herald Reporter
More than 150 farmers in Goromonzi District who benefited from Command Agriculture held a field day last week to appreciate the good yields they realised because of the Government-funded programme this season.
Speaking at the field day held at Cde Noah Mangondo’s Tyron Farm, head of Agronomy Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Mr John Basera said farmers should consider good agronomic practices and double cropping within the same year to realise high yields.
He said good agronomic practices always led to bumper harvests.
“Choosing good quality maize seeds such as SC 727 and SC 637, which have a high yield potential of above 10 tonnes per hectare contributes to between 10 percent and 20 percent of successful farm yields,” he said.
“These seeds are also disease tolerant and they dry quickly. Crop maintenance, optimum population densities, early planting, timeous top dressing of fertiliser and pest control lead to a bumper harvest if these things are done.”
Mr Basera said the double cropping concept, which referred to the practice of consecutively producing two crops of either like or unlike commodities on the same land within the same year, increased profits.
“Double cropping also utilises land and brings in more income since farmers will plant two crops within the same year, like in this country, they would plant maize during the rainy season and wheat in winter,” he said.
“Preparations for wheat start during harvest period.”
Mr Basera encouraged farmers to go for soil sampling for analysis to determine PH (nutrients status in soil) levels.
Mr Mangondo, who was the host farmer at the event, applauded Command Agriculture, saying he was expecting more yields than in past years after he benefited from the programme.