By Marshia Mutambi

The Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) is advising farmers in Mashonaland East province to take crucial steps to safeguard their wheat crops from potential threats.

Fire guards and proper irrigation management are essential for a successful harvest, the organi-sation urged.

“We want farmers to create fire guards to protect their wheat crops,” said Caristo Masiwa, AR-DAS Mashonaland East Provincial Director. “We also need to ensure that irrigation is well-managed, particularly during critical stages such as after top dressing, booting stage, and grain formation.”

Masiwa emphasised the importance of good agronomic practices in achieving optimal yields. “Our focus on the wheat programme is on good agronomics that will give us the expected yield,” he said.

In addition to crop management, ARDAS is supporting livestock farmers through training on Urea treatment of Stover and hay baling.

“We have trained our district officers and supervisors to train farmers on Urea treatment of Stover, and we’re mobilising farmers to do hay baling,” Masiwa noted.

Despite the late rains affecting the hay harvesting season, farmers are encouraged to bale and stock hay while it’s still green and nutritious for their livestock.

“We encourage farmers to bale their hay and do Urea treatment of Stover, cereals, and hay to prepare feed stock for their livestock,” Masiwa added.

By following good agronomic practices and taking advantage of ARDAS’s support, farmers can ensure a successful harvest and prepare for the upcoming season, ultimately contributing to the province’s agricultural productivity and food security.

New Ziana