By Mvelo Mthiyane Zondo
PREPARATIONS for the 2024/2025 agricultural season are now at an advanced stage with more than 50 percent of the Presidential Intwasa programme inputs in place, a senior Government official has said.
This year’s summer cropping season is expected to be a success, with the Government prepared for normal to above to normal rains.
Preparations for the season include distribution of seed and fertiliser, liming and organic matter placement, mulch collection, focus on food and feed crops, herbicides and full awareness control kits among others.
In an interview the Matabeleland South Deputy Director ARDAS (Provincial Head Agritex), Mkhunjulelwa Ndlovu, said they were always on the ground sensitising farmers about climate proof strategies.
He said that serious farmers started preparing their fields as early as June.
“The current season is not very stable and gives us positive resilience options. In that regard, we have already advised farmers to seriously adopt climate proofing strategies that will enable them to produce something,” said Ndlovu.
He added that communal farmers were the worst affected because the majority of them depend on natural rains for their farm or field produce.
“Those with mini-irrigations are better placed and have already started preparing their fields. Actually, their lands are always ready for the new planting soon after the previous harvest,” said Ndlovu.
Sithembinkosi Tshuma from Tshakambeka Village in Ward 7 under Chief Mabhena’s area of Umzingwane District, said the situation was very tricky.
“For me this will be the second year running without planting anything on my field. I did not forsake farming but the conditions are no longer conducive. Climate change is real and as communal farmers, we haven’t accepted it as the reality on the ground,” she said.
Speaking to media recently, acting chief director of the Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Leonard Munamati, said:
“I can say we are now prepared for the 2024/2025 summer cropping season. We have various programmes which have been lined up that will benefit our farmers during the coming season. Basically, the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme will benefit various smallholder farmers.
“These include farmers in communal areas; A1 farmers, who have plots that measure about six hectares; and old resettlement farmers.
“This year, the Pfumvudza scheme seeks to benefit three million rural farmers, as well as 500 000 peri-urban farmers.
“That makes a total of 3,5 million smallholder farmers. For maize, we are targeting up to 1,8 million hectares (ha) that should be under the staple crop.
“This is slightly more than what we did last season, when we managed to plant 1,7 million ha of maize,” he said.
