The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO is targeting to train more than 300 000 farmers for this year’s climate proofed Pfumvudza/Intwasa farming with over 90 000 having already received training.
In this year’s Pfumvudza farming scheme, the Government has increased the number of plots from two to five in which three will be cereals, one for oil seeds and the other for legumes.
Masvingo provincial Agritex officer Mr Aaron Muchazivepi said most of the farmers have adopted Pfumvudza and are at different stages of holing with those that have finished their five plots expected to liaise with the extension officers for collection of seeds from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
“As Masvingo Province we have a target of more than 300 000 farmers that we are looking forward to, taking into cognisance that we are looking at 500 farmers to adopt Pfumvudza per each extension officer. So currently we have trained more than 90 000 of them, of which most of them have adopted Pfumvudza although at different stages of holing of which some have achieved the five plots that we are looking forward to this particular season,” he said.
Mr Muchazivepi said under this year’s programme, the region three part of the province will likely get the maize seed while the region four and five will get traditional grains.
“Since Pfumvudza is smart agriculture we can also embark on maize production in regions four and five. The other two plots one will be for oil seeds such as soya beans and sunflower and the other one will be for legume seeds such as the cow peas.”
Mr Muchazivepi said they were also looking at the Pfumvudza cotton scheme. He said the scheme will see farmers in cotton producing areas such as Chiredzi and Mwenezi getting support from the Government. He said that the province has r received the seed and is currently at GMB.
