The Sunday News
Farming Reporter
FARMERS in Gwanda district are assured of a bumper harvest amid revelations that there will not be any need for food aid for most households in the area this year.Speaking at councillor George Chipengo’s field day in Ward 22 in Colleen Bawn last Thursday, the Gwanda District Department of Agricultural Technical and Extension Services officer, Mr Bernard Matsholongwana, said most farmers in the district were assured of an optimum yield following the good rains received in the area.
Gwanda is a drought prone area which is predominantly dry with very low annual rainfall.
It has the least rain days at an average of 35 millimetres per year.
“Generally the state of the crop this year is very good and I think most of the farmers in the district will pull through. I doubt if there is going to be any challenge because as it stands there won’t be need to bother Government with food aid,” Mr Matsholongwana said.
He, however, said there was a need for farmers in the district to increase and embrace small grains such as sorghum, millet and rapoko which thrive well under the area’s climatic conditions.
“We are recommending the cropping of small grains in this area but due to cultural decadence most farmers have shunned them yet our forefathers’ household food security largely depended on them. Today’s generation is fond of despising small grains.
“However, of late we have seen a gradual shift as people with HIV/Aids are recommended to consume food from small grains for nutritional purposes and as such the demand for small grains products has significantly increased,” Mr Matsholongwana said.
Cllr Chipengo has a thriving 12 hectares of maize and one-and-a-half hectare of sugar beans which he planted in January.
“Through the Meteorological Department’s weather forecast I knew that we were going to receive normal to above normal rainfall and as such, I was optimistic of achieving a good yield.
“Our region is very dry with very low rainfall but people shouldn’t be deterred from farming because of that. There are a number of water harvesting techniques of which if properly implemented one will be assured of a good yield,” Cllr Chipengo said.
