The ManicaPost
IT is undisputed that agriculture is the economic bedrock of this country, accounting for 16 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
It is also a source of livelihood for about 75 percent of the population, while accounting for 60 percent of raw materials used by the manufacturing sector.
The 2020/21 season is at an advanced stage, with Manicaland expected to reap 253 000 metric tonnes from two Government schemes – Pfumvudza and Command Agriculture.
We are optimistic the season will be a huge success, given the beneficial rains and various support packages from Government and its partners.
Our fervent hope is that this season marks a positive deviation from past drought-inflicted seasons.
Against this background, farmers hit the ground running, tapping into advice from agronomists in their quest to ensure the mother of all bumper harvests.
Farming is a business that is far more difficult than any other kind of enterprise. It is a science that has a time or seasonal dimension, which makes planning a vital cog for its success.
Proper planning helps farmers to manage risk and work towards achieving set targets.
Elsewhere in this publication, we carry a story where farmers, while hailing the good rains and assistance from Government, are complaining about the shortage of top-dressing fertiliser.
Fears abound that the current cropping season risk going to waste if no remedial action is taken to address the acute top-dressing fertiliser shortage.
Rains continue to pound major crop producing regions in Manicaland causing excessive leaching of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil, and resultantly, contributing significantly to negative nitrogen balances in the soil.
This is not the first season that the country has found itself without enough top-dressing fertiliser stocks at a critical stage.
This helps to show that we are not getting the planning side of things correct.
Why should the availability of top-dressing fertiliser always be a challenge?
Why are we always in last minute rush to import top-dressing fertiliser?
Top-dressing fertiliser, in a good season like one we have, should never be in short supply.
We knew about the planted hectarage and the amount of fertiliser required, and surely plans must have been made to avail stocks that meet the requirements of farmers at affordable prices and within their vicinity.
The shortage is now being exploited and prices have spiked, the idea being to inflate costs of production.
Farmers are always at the receiving end and this is not how things should be.
Done properly, the Pfumvudza and Command Agriculture schemes have the capacity to unlock Zimbabwe’s potential to produce enough to meet her food and nutritional security levels, fill strategic grain reserves and surplus to export.
This should be everyone’s goal – to transform the nation into the Promised Land of milk and honey.
We take assurance from the responsible ministry to remedy the situation through urgent imports.
Amid the crisis, we call upon the authorities to ensure that farmers with an impeccable crop are allocated the scarce commodity first and condemn any attempt to smuggle and allocate those unfit through the back door.
Unwarranted favours will militate against the aims and objectives of the programmes.
We also implore the private sector to come on board and assist with financial, technical and infrastructural resources.
One key area that requires attention is agriculture infrastructure development and mechanisation.
If our agriculture is to evolve beyond national expectations, mechanisation should be the integral component of the revival strategy.
We need investment in physical and agro-processing infrastructure.
Such an investment will enable intensification and diversification by enabling access to machinery, equipment, inputs, markets, education facilities, health services, health and information centres.
In addition, improved access to roads, irrigation facilities, dip tanks, handling pens, electricity and storage and processing facilities helps improve the standard of living of the people.
