By Decide Nhendo
Masvingo province has managed to beat its 2023/24 traditional grains target of 74 000 ha with 74 268ha as both commercial and subsistence farmers are urged to grow small grains to mitigate the effects of drought to ensure sustainable food security.
This was revealed by Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Chief Director, Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services Leonard Munamati at Chiredzi District 21HA National Sorghum Field Day Programme.
The programme was hosted by one farmer, Cleopas Mangezi at his homestead in Mangezi Village, Ward 11 on April 19 2024 who was recognised as the outstanding farmer in the province with 21ha of sorghum.
In his speech, Munamati said Chiredzi had contributed a large chunk of the provincial 104 percent.
“For traditional grains 2023 to 2024 the province had a sorghum target of 74 000ha and the target was surpassed with 74 268ha planted translating to 104percent achievement.
“Chiredzi District had the bulky of the sorghum with an area of 27 062ha for 2023 to 2024 season,” said Munamati.
Munamati said apart from sorghum, the province also planted other traditional grains which include millet though the province failed to meet the millet target and achieved 75 percent of the target with Chiredzi leading in pearl millet.
“The provincial target for pearl millet was 44 000ha and 32 371ha was achieved which translates to 75 percent. Chiredzi District planted 4 705ha of pearl millet,” said Munamati.
Munamati said the farming methods that were practised by Mangezi were mere demands of agro ecological tailoring, which ensure that crop types and varieties suit the area for sustainable food security for communities.
“The production methodologies done here are in tandem with the Agricultural Recovery Plan whose main objective is to improve agriculture production and productivity.
“Climate smart agriculture production with particular emphasis on mechanical conservation agriculture programme adopted herein is in line with his Excellency’s vision 2030 of attaining food self-sufficiency at household level,” said Munamati.
In Masvingo despite having drought season, they have managed to contain shocks and stresses of climate change induced drought.
Masvingo Provincial Agricultural Specialist Jonas Chinyavada urged farmers to adopt climate smart varieties, and embrace climate mechanised agriculture production making use of seeds at suitable region and places to attain better yields.
“As a ministry we are urging farmers to adopt climate smart varieties, embrace climate mechanised farming and take into account the agro ecological tailoring which is saying every seed at suitable region so that we attain food security,” said Chinyavada.
