The ManicaPost
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT’s unwavering thrust on Pfumvudza has received support from experts as it has proved that it is capable of improving farmers’ yields while simultaneously conserving the environment.
Manicaland has 461 573 farmers who will benefit under the programme this year, with Government disbursing 24 150 metric tonnes of Compound D and top dressing fertilisers this season.
A total of 2 469mt of maize seed, 314mt of traditional grains and 483 000 combo packs of vegetable seed will also be disbursed to the province.
On Wednesday, Agriculture Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS)’s Manicaland provincial director, Mrs Phillipa Rwambiwa said they have scaled up the distribution of inputs in all the seven districts of Manicaland.
So far, more than 328 000 people have been trained and by next week, training of all registered beneficiaries should be through.
Rural development expert, Professor Joseph Kamuzhanje hailed Government for pooling resources to support small-holder farmers and ensuring the early distribution inputs and chemicals.
Professor Kamuzhanje said Pfumvudza, which uses conservation agriculture principles, reduces nitrogen loss in the soil, promotes water and soil conservation and improves efficiency of applied nutrients.
“Pfumvudza is a concept that enhances farmers’ harvests, especially in times when there is no adequate rainfall. The digging of the planting basins, mulching and clearing of weeds are part of the process.
“Every part of the process is as important as the next one. What this means is that if a farmer cuts corners on just one of them, there will be possibility of failure. The concept works wonders when all steps are followed religiously.
“Pfumvudza is also part of the precision agriculture model which Government is promoting. This means that the planting basins must be dug on time, the fertiliser and other chemicals must be applied on time, the mulching must be done on time and it must cover all the areas.
“Pfumvudza is supposed to alleviate draft power challenges faced by farmers who lost their cattle to January Disease. However, even for those with cattle draught power, there are components that can still be implemented.
“The concept focuses on minimum usage of water and tillage. It promotes intensive agriculture with higher yields per square metre,” said Professor Kamuzhanje.
He warned farmers against complacency amid prospects of normal to above normal rains.
Regional weather and climate experts have forecast that the country is expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall between October and March 2023.
Said Professor Kamuzhanje: “We need to remember that these are only forecasts and the season can still go either way. So farmers should still rely on their Pfumvudza plots. At least there will be some food to eat if the seasons goes badly.
“The farmers can then have the bigger plots for the market,” said Professor Kamuzhanje.
He said a fundamental problem that has been occurring silently over the years is the erosion of the productive capacity of soils, and with little replenishing – in terms of organic and inorganic fertilisers – the soils have become depleted of nutrients that are necessary for crop production, something that Pfumvudza is correcting.
