THE first-round crop and livestock assessment, which commenced on January 20, will end today, amid preliminary indications of good quality crop in most parts of the country, further raising hopes of a bumper harvest.
Agricultural extension officers (AEOs) conducted a rigorous data collection exercise in 1 600 wards over 10 days, amid challenging conditions occasioned by inclement weather.
During the exercise, the AEOs collected data from randomly sampled farmers countrywide, which was then digitally transmitted to provincial offices for onward submission to the head office.
The crop assessment exercise is designed to provide early information on the season’s progress in relation to national agricultural and food security targets.
However, heavy rains that pounded much of the country over the last two weeks threatened to scupper the crucial exercise.
In an interview, Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services chief director Professor Obert Jiri praised the extension workers’ resilience and determination while working under challenging conditions.
“The crop and livestock assessment is progressing well,” he said.
“We will release the report of our findings as soon as the process is complete and submitted to the Cabinet.
“However, as we all know, the past week was associated with heavy rains and flooding.
“Our officers never took those conditions as an excuse for not delivering.
“They soldiered on against all odds.
“They have been sending data in real time in spite of the challenges they were facing.”
He said Government has equipped its extension officers to enable them to produce credible production data that can be used for planning.
The Government has provided 6 000 motorcycles with waterproofed riders’ suits to extension workers to facilitate completion of the exercise.
Extension officers are also entitled to a monthly allocation of between 20 and 30 litres of fuel.
They have also been equipped with satellite-linked mobile tablets for data collection.
A survey by this publication revealed that most extension officers faced challenges such as crossing flooded rivers, slippery roads and collapsed bridges.
Mashonaland East Provincial AEO director Mr Leonard Munamati said the data collection was ongoing despite the challenges.
“The secret behind this success is that almost all my AEOs are motorised; they have motorbikes.
“Most importantly, there is a level of commitment that we are witnessing from our ward AEOs.
“There is some intrinsic motivation that has creeped into our staff ever since we started implementing various programmes under the Second Republic,” said Mr Munamati.
Ward AEO for Lisulu, Matabeleland North, Mr Simon Mudenda, said: “The weather is not friendly for this exercise. It is raining day and night, and rivers are flooded.
“But by Thursday, my staff had covered almost 30 percent of our area.
“We are doing whatever it takes to complete our mandate because we value the exercise.”
Mrs Sifiso Mahopolo, AEO for Umguza, said rains were not a problem in her area.
“There were no heavy rains to hinder our progress.
“We had normal rains. Only a few areas were inaccessible,” she said. – Sunday Mail
