Farmers have now planted 465 707 hectares of maize more than double the 215 481ha planted by this time last year with small-scale farmers leading the way and with the rainfall still in the forecast normal to above normal bracket, Cabinet was told yesterday.
Besides the accelerated progress in the maize planting with the target still being just under 2 million ha this season, Cabinet was also told that sorghum planting is now 59 481ha against just 12 210 this time last year and cotton planting has jumped to 88 856ha compared to 13 166 as farmers take advantage of the earlier rains and good input delivery to get their crop in early.
Tobacco, where there is growing irrigation at least to establish the crop, has seen 75 758ha planted compared to 64 155ha this time last year, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said after the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
The push for earlier planting and the growing area, with early rains and Government and private inputs reaching farmers on time, is setting Zimbabwe up for a bumper harvest in 2023, assuming the country receives normal to above normal rainfall as predicted by weather experts.
Government has initiated public and private sector engagements to ensure its projections of three million tonnes of maize for the 2022/23 season from a target hectarage of 1 940 969ha.
The Second Republic has made food and nutrition security a top priority and is working towards attaining a US$8,2 billion agriculture industry by 2023, underpinned by the country’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) — the key driver towards the Vision 2030 objective of making Zimbabwe a prosperous and empowered upper-middle income society.
Government programmes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, the National Enhanced Agriculture Productivity Scheme (NEAPS) and interventions by the private sector and the Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (ARDA), are set to enhance production of all crops this season, ensuring greater food production, greater production of oil seed, more tobacco. This ensures food self-sufficiency, far more local raw materials in other products, and greater exports, along with more income for farmers and growing rural wealth.
Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Association Trust president Mrs Depinah Nkomo said there was huge progress in planting and farmers were busy.
She said they are anticipating a bumper harvest following the good rains that were predicted by the Meteorological Services Department adding that Government’s commitment to assist the majority of farmers with inputs is greatly appreciated.
“There is a positive development in planting. Farmers are busy planting different crops. We are expecting a good harvest. Monitoring of inputs is needed to ensure transparency. Farmers are doing well this season and the progress shown so far shows a brighter future in farming,” she said.
Former Zimbabwe National Farmers’ Union vice president Mr Edward Dune said distribution of inputs started on time, adding that a huge progress has been made by farmers in planting.
“We are happy that inputs got to the farmers early this year because the cost of inputs has skyrocketed and most farmers would not have managed to buy their own. However, we feel that Pfumvudza should cover a bigger hectarage than it already is to ensure sustainability and viability of maize production,” he said.
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust president, Mr Victor Mariranyika, said farmers should speed up planting since most areas have received enough rains to plant.
“The progress shown by farmers so far is a positive step towards achieving food security. This is greatly appreciated and we can foretell that the season is good and there is a possibility of a bumper harvest if farmers follow good agronomic practices in farming.
“We encourage farmers to do more and plant more hectares. We are an agro-based economy and we rely on agriculture to enhance food security in the country,” he said.
With the onset of the rains, Government has taken measures to speed up the distribution of inputs to farmers.
For this summer farming season, Government has released US$154,6 million guarantee to AFC Holdings to raise resources from the market in support of the agriculture sector.
The mobilised funds will be used to finance production of maize, soya beans, sunflower and traditional grains. In addition, AFC Holdings has been capacitated with tractors and implements which are being leased to farmers on a cost recovery basis, as well as 10 000ha of land which can be used to mobilise funding for the sector.
Concurrently, Government is also capacitating CBZ Agro Yield to finance this summer cropping season through payment of farmer commitments under the facility.
The country’s maize yields are generally below 1,5 tonnes per hectare, lower than neighbouring countries like Zambia, Malawi and South Africa at 2,5 tonnes, two tonnes and five tonnes per hectare, respectively.
This has prompted Government to scale up engagement with relevant stakeholders to review the current agricultural financing model with the aim of increasing the role of the private sector in the financing of agriculture. – The Herald
