The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
FARMER field schools are now bearing fruit, with those dotted around Matabeleland South assisting locals to acquire the much needed information and skills to promote good agronomic practices and improve crop quality.
Farmer field schools are a participatory education approach that brings together a group of small-scale farmers to solve production problems through sustainable agriculture. The model introduced by the Government to improve the country’s agricultural extension services, offers space for hands-on group learning, enhancing skills for observation and critical analysis, and improved decision-making by local communities.
In an interview, Matabeleland South agricultural rural development and advisory services, acting training specialist Mr Nkululeko Nyoni said farmers were actively participating in setting up farmer field schools.
“Crop and livestock farmer field schools have been set up throughout the seven districts of Matabeleland South that include Beitbridge, Bulilima, Mangwe, Insiza, Gwanda, Matobo and Umzingwane. Local leadership and farmers have been trained by agricultural extension officers on the concept, while the farmer uptake is pleasing and high,” said Mr Nyoni.
He said female leadership has also been demonstrated in farmer field schools, with farmers greatly and actively participating in the setting up of the schools. Mr Nyoni said various agricultural activities such as planting to mulching have been carried out with farmers acquiring more knowledge that they would see cascading in their respective areas.
“Farmer field schools are now bearing fruit, in Mangwe an inter-stakeholder information-sharing platform took place with farmers acquiring information on crop and livestock production and the technical guidance. Farmers have also had to take up training on weed control to ensure optimum yields this farming season.”
A farmer in Umzingwane District, Mr Silas Moyo said the farmer field schools have been instrumental in assisting them to adopt best practices that will improve their agricultural output.
“It is through training that as farmers we are now able to grow for family consumption and earn more from selling the surplus harvest. We have shifted our mindsets and we now take agriculture as a business. As farmers, we have received training on the application of good agronomic practices which are essential in boosting food security, and we anticipate a bumper harvest for the 2022/23 cropping season bigger than the prior season,” said Mr Moyo.
Another farmer, Ms Sithandazile Ndlovu from Matobo District said they were hopeful of a good harvest to avert hunger.
“We have attended a number of trainings that have tackled a number of issues from crop production to livestock. We’re grateful to the Government not only for these trainings but for the farming inputs as well, while we anticipate a much bigger bumper harvest this year than past year,” said Ms Ndlovu.
She said in terms of livestock diseases they we now also way ahead and aware of what to do to solve issues that may arise in their areas as they continued to acquire information from the farmer field schools.
Meanwhile, farmers have stepped up efforts to improve plant health throughout the country after 508 791 farmers so far have taken up training on weed control to ensure optimum yields this farming season. Weeds greatly retard crop growth by competing with the plants for nutrients, light, and water. Zimbabwean farmers risk losing between 50 and 80 percent of potential maize yield if they fail to effectively control weeds in their crops in the first 10 to 12 weeks from germination.
This season, the Government has introduced a programme on the national war against weeds where 508 791 farmers have acquired skills in improving weed management and crop productivity in maize. They have generated technologies that could be integrated into the production practices of smallholder farmers to suppress weeds.
