THE Chemistry and Soil Research Institute (CSRI) has scaled up production of Rhizobia inoculants, as it moves to meet the rising demand for the commodity on the backdrop of a growing hectarage of soya and sugar beans across the country.
In an interview, CSRI head Mr Emmanuel Chikwari said the high demand was coming on the backdrop of increased soya bean and sugar bean production for the 2022/23 summer cropping season.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development produces the Rhizobia fertilisers at a factory in Marondera and is targeting to produce 45 000 sachets for this season with 90 percent of them earmarked for soya bean production.
“We have managed to grow our outreach programmes through awareness campaigns and this has contributed immensely to the growing demand,” said Mr Chikwari.
The CSRI department in partnership with Agritex have since taken advantage of the of the widespread presence of Agritex offices in the provinces where farmers can receive training on the use of the Rhizobium to establish distribution centres.
“We have also activated other distribution centres such as Farm and City, Windmill, Seed Co and various other agro-dealers to be part of the programme,” said Mr Chikwari.
The good rains the country is experiencing have also resulted in increased uptake of rhizobium inoculants, as farmers push to cut down on costs of ammonium nitrate and Urea.
“A 100-gramme sachet of the Rhizobium inoculant is enough to cover 100kg of soya bean seed equivalent to a hectare at a cost of US$5 per sachet compared to US$250 that would be required for the same hectarage in additional fertilisers,” said Mr Chikwari.
With the current disruptions on the global supply chain courtesy of the conflict in Eastern Europe impacting negatively on fertiliser supply worldwide, Rhizobia represents a cheap and viable option for farmers to mitigate shortages.
“Rhizobia represents a cheap and viable option for farmers to mitigate supply shortages,” said Mr Chikwari.
It is therefore crucial for farmers to ensure maximum production, as the nation aims to achieve food security with 61 percent of the rural population amounting to 9, 2 million people surviving on subsistence farming.
With Government always encouraging farmers to adopt business practices in the agriculture sector, the use of Rhizobium encourages the utilisation of less inputs but achieving maximum production. – The Herald
