Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent 

MATABELELAND South Province has been forced to plant crops covering 86 190 hectares from a projected 265 000 hectares for the 2019-2020 season due to poor rains. In an interview, Matabeleland South provincial Agritex crop officer, Mr Mkhunjulelwa Ndlovu, said they had set a maize target of 120 000 hectares for both irrigation and communal resettlements but so far farmers have planted 50 955 hectares. He said the set target for small grains was 90 000 hectares against 22 187ha which had been planted while the set target for cereals was 55 000ha against an actual of 13 048 hectares.

He said the main causes of this shortfall were poor rains and draught power challenges.

“The 2019-20 season is a threatening season for us. We had a challenge in terms of the onset as we received rains very late and as a result some areas were planted in December. In terms of our targets for this farming season we had set maize at 120 000 hectares, sorghum at 35 000ha, pearl millet at 40 000 hectares, rapoko at 15 000ha, groundnuts at 20 000 hectares, cow peas at 20 000 and roundnuts at 15 000 hectares.

“Up to now maize is at 50 955, sorghum at 11 441, pearl millet is at 10 524, rapoko is at 222, cow peas are at 2 788, groundnuts are at7 479 and round nuts are at 2 781ha. This is posing a threat to food and nutrition security in communities in the province,” Mr Ndlovu said.

He said many farmers lost a lot of animals to the drought which left them without draught power and the cost of hiring tractors was beyond the reach of many. 

Mr Ndlovu said the Government’s intervention through the tillage facility helped ease the challenge and enabled farmers to plant mainly in Gwanda, Umzingwane and Beitbridge districts.

“The major challenge farmers faced was draught power because in terms of inputs Government came in with the Presidential Input Scheme and other partners also assisted. The first crop under maize is at a critical stage and we might experience crop failure as the moisture levels are very low as we are experiencing a drought spell. Most of the maize crop in parts of Gwanda, Beitbridge and Insiza is at emergency stage and with this heat we might have a write off.

“We have observed that pearl millet and sorghum can withstand harsh conditions as the crops are in a better state. If we receive rains within a week farmers can get a good harvest especially those who planted early and applied manure and fertiliser to their crops,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said they were looking forward to recording a good harvest from irrigation schemes but only 707 hectares of the maize crop was under irrigation. He said cases of African armyworm were reported in Insiza District but the situation was now under control. 

The fall armyworm was also threatening farmers in some parts of the province but they had been equipped with chemicals. – @DubeMatutu