The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
PREPARATIONS for the 2023/24 summer cropping season are at an advanced stage, with some production inputs now available at various Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots across the province.
Agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and pesticides are essential for successful farming ventures and have a significant impact on the yield’s quality and quantity.
In his address during the Heroes’ Day commemorations on Monday, President Mnangagwa said the Pfumvudza/Intwasa inputs for the 2023/24 season are now readily available at GMB depots.
“I want to assure our nation that preparations for the 2023/2024 farming season have commenced earlier than usual, with inputs under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa climate proofed agriculture programme now available at the various GMB depots,” he said.
Pfumvudza was formulated to enhance agricultural productivity in communal rain-fed areas by focusing on integrated farming, moisture conservation efficiency, soil health management and synergise resource conservation.
The programme involves soil reconditioning blitz, which gives the farmers information on nutrient status of their soils, along with recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients required to improve its health and fertility.
A survey conducted in Manicaland showed that some farmers are busy with pot-holing, while some are doing soil tests and applying lime to improve the pH of their soils.
Others had already gathered their mulch.
Lime is a soil conditioner and controls the soil acidity by neutralising the effects of acids from nitrogenous fertilisers, slurry and high rainfall.
Its other benefits include increasing earthworm activity, improving soil structure and making pastures more palatable to livestock.
Liming should be done about three months before planting.
Most soils in the province have a pH below 5.5 and below 70 percent of saturation, and require liming.
Deputy Director for Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services (Manicaland), Mr Nomatter Manunure said Manicaland is targeting to put at least 265 000 hectares under maize, with a focus of improving productivity by at least 10 percent.
“We are currently seized with registration of individual farmers and immediately after that we start distributing the inputs, especially basal fertiliser and seed so that planting can be done with the first rains.
“The inputs will be distributed very early and the farmers doing Pfumvudza are harvesting mulch, digging planting basins, applying manure and lime. Liming is done three months before planting.
“Our thrust is to increase the yield per hectare to an average of 1.6 tonnes per hectare. We are targeting the same 265 000ha as last season. We cannot continue increasing the planted area, but rather focus on increasing the yield levels,” he said.
The Pfumvudza programme will support five plots measuring 39m x 16m per individual farmer per household, with an agro-ecological region-specific crop input package for maize, sorghum, pearl millet, soya beans, sunflower, groundnuts, vegetables and African peas.
Like last season, the package includes water retention enhancers, herbicides for three plots and a fall armyworm control package.
Mr Manunure said this season’s inputs distribution will differ according to natural regions.
“Farmers in natural regions one and two will get 10kg packs of seed maize, 50kg basal dressing, 50kg top dressing, 50kg lime, 200ml of fall armyworm pesticide, one unit of water enhancer and one unit of post planting herbicides.
“Those in natural region three will get 5kg seed maize, 2kg sorghum/1kg pearl millet, 2kg sunflower, 1kg cowpeas/2kg groundnuts/2kg sugar beans, and fertiliser and other inputs as above.
“ln natural region four and five, farmers will get 2kg seed maize and the other inputs as in natural regions one and two,” he said.
Apart from up-scaling the programme to five plots, the programme will this season include cotton for farmers in extremely dry areas in Nyanga, Chipinge, Buhera, Makoni and Mutare districts.
