Beverly Bizeki
MASVINGO – Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development (MoLAFWRD) has urged farmers to take advantage of the early rains received in the country recently to speed up land preparations for the coming farming season.
MoLAFWRD Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said in a statement that the rains received according to Meteorological Services Department do not mark the beginning of the rain season hence farmers should wait for the start of the rain season.
“Many parts of the country have received substantial rains this week. The Meteorological Services Department advises that this is not the start of the rainy season.
“We advise farmers to use these rains to speed up land preparation (holing for Pfumvudza/Intwasa and accelerating tillage for those practicing conventional farming). Farmers are discouraged from planting unless they have adequate irrigation,” said Prof Jiri.
For the wheat farmers, Prof Jiri said farmers should stop harvesting the crop and wait for the weather to clear for assessment of the crop unless they have access to drying facilities.
“We expect the weather to clear soon so wheat farmers may expect a better assessment of the crop. Unless a farmer has access to drying facilities, no harvesting is advisable until the moisture content is in the acceptable range,” he said.
As the country is anticipating an El Nino season in which average to below average rainfall is expected, farmers have been wanting to start planting early for this season.
The rains received have also left a trail of destruction across the country with hailstorms having been received in some parts of the country.
