Denias Zaranyika Harare Bureau
Is it possible for Zimbabwe, the sleeping giant, to regain its status of “breadbasket for the Sadc region? Can Zimbabwean agriculture undergo transformation adequate enough to see it again contribute at least 30 percent of GDP and reinstitute itself as a significant employer of human effort? How can farmers enhance productivity and regional competitiveness across all farming sectors?
In several addresses President Robert Mugabe has always underscored that agriculture should restore its status as key to the economy.
“The sector contributes 15-18 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), over 40 percent of national export earnings, and 60 percent of raw materials to agro-based industries,” His Excellency reminded the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show Society in Harare.
“In addition, over 70 percent of our population derives its livelihood from agriculture with agriculture-related employment comprising a third of the formal labour force.”
It is the view many agriculturalists that with the right dose of attitude, investment and urgency agriculture value chain partners can enhance productivity and profitability of this critical sector. Zimbabwe is rooted in farming and remains arguably one of the economic and political standouts in Africa.
The Southern African Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF), Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) and other reputable authorities have corroboratively predicted a normal to below normal rainfall season for southern countries of SADC. It is imperative that as the African Seed Company we optimally prepare our farmers for the imminent 2015/16 summer cropping season that has widely been predicted to be drought-riddled. Sound preparations for summer cropping seasons will ensure increased productivity and minimise imports thereby improving liquidity and cutting down on the current account deficit.
South Africa has just harvested its smallest maize crop in eight years due to severe drought conditions in key maize production areas and the Republic is contemplating banning exports.
Malawi has also put maize grain exports on ice and might not come to our rescue. Any consideration to import from offshore suppliers like Brazil or the United States will further impair our efforts to restore our rightful position as the breadbasket of the region.
The reality that most of the country’s usual suppliers of grain, like South Africa, Zambia and Malawi, may not be able to export to Zimbabwe should be catalytic enough to inspire Zimbabwean farmers to produce more than enough volumes to meet local demand and secure export opportunities world-wide.
As a nation if we cross specific tollgates we have all the ingredients required to produce grain volumes that will overwhelm local demand and secure export opportunities.
The phenomenon of climate change is a reality that needs to be acknowledged and mitigated by all value chain partners across sectors. Statistics from the meteorological department confirm that Zimbabwe, lying in a semi-arid region with limited and unreliable rainfall patterns and temperature variations, is undergoing climate change.
The Principal Agricultural Extension Specialist in the Ministry of Agriculture, Agritex department, Kennedy Mabehla said Climate change has left farmers, particularly those in the communal lands, confused about what and when to plant given the erratic rainfall patterns characterised by long dry spells.
According to Mabehla extreme weather events, namely tropical cyclones and droughts have also increased in frequency and intensity. Zimbabwe Meteorological Service records also confirm that daily minimum temperatures have risen by approximately 2,6°C over the last century while daily maximum temperatures have risen by 2°C during the same period.
The unpredictable mean onset and cessation of rains has led farmers in most agro-ecological zones delaying planting. A good example is the recent summer 2014/15 cropping season in which the rains started early but were not evenly distributed, with periods of very heavy, intense rainfall followed by long dry spells.
To mitigate against the risks associated with the first rains farmers are strongly advised to stagger their planting dates with the bulk waiting for the mid November to early December rains which are usually more intense and evenly distributed.
The government and seed companies’ extension workers are on standby to advise farmers on crops best suitable to their farming environments and broadly plan their farming activities based on weather forecasts.
Resourceful farmers with irrigation facilities have the flexibility of planting tried and tested high yielding medium to long season maize hybrids as they can supplement the rains upon premature cessation. This is important as it boasts productivity and addresses the country’s challenge in meeting Zimbabwe’s local maize grain demand. Farmers with no irrigation should consider medium hybrids (Shumba and Mbizi category) if they plant early and short season drought tolerant types (Inkawu/Tsoko and Umvundla/Tsuro types) for late planting.
In line with enhancing the nutrition density per unit area farmers should also diversify into short season drought tolerant crops like cowpeas, groundnuts, sunflower and Bambara nuts (indlubu/nyimo).
To reap the benefits of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) government extension is currently promoting proven practical techniques such as mulching, inter-cropping, conservation agriculture, crop rotation, integrated crop-livestock management, agroforestry, improved grazing, and improved water management and harvesting as well as innovative practices like better weather forecasting.
The resuscitation of irrigation schemes has now become a budget priority in the face of real risk borne through climate change. Zimbabwe has to develop irrigation facilities to expedite early plantings and mitigate the risk of premature cessation of rains. In past years 70,000 hectares of irrigation facilities were operating efficiently in the country, helping produce about 600,000 tonnes of maize from the commercial sector whether there was a drought or not.
Fundamentally, farmers must source all the inputs required for their cropping programme on time. Time is already running out for sourcing inputs for the imminent 2015/16 cropping season. The seed industry urges all value chain partners to, within their respective mandates, give farmers the support required to seamlessly prepare for the 2015/16 cropping season which already upon us.
This is to ensure that all crops start to rebound from the marked decline experienced in recent years. It is imperative for policy makers to dovetail a system of providing security for credit to ensure that farmers are able to fund farming operations, equipment and infrastructure projects and related downstream value addition enterprises.
What are other must-have ingredients other than working capital for farming operations to ensure increased and viable output? Farmers must run farms as commercial enterprises and must be hands-on – my late father, a successful master farmer in his own right used to emphasise — “the best fertiliser is the foot of the farmer”. Thus being in the field all the time to ensure that all critical farming activities are done in line with best practice.
Farmers are generally known to be optimistic and forward looking. However, beyond this optimism farmers must acquire their inputs as soon as possible to avoid late planting in a season that may have a challenging rainfall distribution regime.
In late 2013 presenting a paper at the economic summit, World Bank chief economist Nadia Pifarretti said the agricultural sector had the potential to grow in the long-term.
“The new small-holder sector requires temporary, stronger support to unlock its potential. Production remains constrained by the need to adapt to the new production structure and finance the necessary investments in a context of still very low domestic savings,” she said.
When agriculture value chain partners uphold best practice Zimbabwe will soon re-emerge as a regional model of an African country functioning at maximum capacity.
As Zimbabweans let us diligently plant the right high quality seed timeously to guarantee our restoration as the region’s breadbasket.
l Denias Zaranyika is the managing director of SeedCo Zimbabwe and the next president of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA).