News / Local
Matabeleland gets Intwasa inputs
24 Aug 2022 at 01:40hrs | Views
FARMERS in Matabeleland are geared for the summer cropping season following the delivery of agricultural inputs for the 2022/2023 farming season under the Climate-Proofed Presidential Inputs Scheme, popularly known as Intwasa/Pfumvudza.
Government is targeting to produce 3 million tonnes of maize during the 2022/23 summer cropping season with land preparations already underway.
This comes as the Second Republic has made food security a top priority and is working towards a US$8,2 billion agriculture industry economy, contributing 20 percent of GDP by 2025, underpinned by the country's National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) — the driver towards Vision 2030 to make Zimbabwe an upper middle-class economy.
The country requires 2,2 million tonnes of maize for human and livestock consumption and the three million tonnes target will position Zimbabwe as a significant player in grain production in the region. About 25 000 urban farmers in Bulawayo metropolitan province are set to receive agricultural inputs for the 2021/2022 farming season under Intwasa/Pfumvudza.
In Matabeleland North Province, 165 000 farmers are set to receive inputs under Intwasa/Pfumvudza while 130 000 farmers in Matabeleland South will benefit under the programme. In the previous season, Bulawayo farmers harvested 5 000 tonnes of maize.
GMB employees place covers on Presidential Input seed packs at the Bulawayo Depot yesterday
Intwasa is a concept aimed at climate proofing agriculture by adopting conservation farming techniques and involves use of small plots and applying the correct agronomic practices for higher returns.
The Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme, designed for small-scale farmers will this season benefit 2,3 million households in the communal, A1, small-scale commercial farming and old resettlement sectors to produce cereals, oilseeds and legumes in the forthcoming summer cropping season.
Under the programme, each farming household will get an input package comprising 10kg maize seed, 5kg sorghum, 2kg pearl millet, 5kg soya beans, 2kg sunflower/castor beans (castor bean will be inter-cropped in the Intwasa crops) and 5kg sugar beans or 5kg cowpeas or roundnuts. The seed types and varieties will depend on the farming region. The programme will support five Intwasa/Pfumvudza plots of 39m x 16m in each household with a standardised crop input package drawn from maize, sorghum, pearl millet, soya beans, sunflower, groundnuts, vegetables and cow peas.
In the low potential areas, the five plots will comprise three maize plots, one for family food and two to produce grain for sale, one plot on half the farms for soya beans and one plot under sugar beans or groundnuts or cow peas. In low rainfall agro-ecological regions, three plots will be put under cereals maize, sorghum and pearl millet. The maize plot is for household food and the other two plots under traditional grains for commercial sale
Acting director of agricultural rural development and advisory services for Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces, Mr Dumisani Nyoni said based on the agro-ecological factors, traditional grains will be at the forefront in the region with limited option on maize.
"This year's Intwasa/Pfumvudza cropping programme is going to be focused more on climate proofing than what we have done in the previous two seasons.
"This year Government will only supply inputs to farmers based on their agro-ecological region as opposed to the farmer's interest," he said.
In Matabeleland North, there are three agro-ecological regions based on the amount of rainfall that is received.
"We have natural region three with a household population of about 14 000, natural region four, which has the bulk number of 99 000 households and region five with about 52 000 households. This year, we are saying farmers in regions four and five are supposed to concentrate more on the production of traditional grains because they are able to withstand moisture stress and low levels of rainfall than maize," said Mr Nyoni.
"Other than sorghum and millet, the emphasise will be on the production of sunflower, cowpeas, traditional peas and groundnuts and sugar beans."
Mr Nyoni said farmers in regions with higher rainfall will focus more on maize, although with an option to grow traditional grains as a stop gap measure in the event of a dry spell.
"However, we have noted that the production of traditional grains is hampered by the issue of quelea birds, fall armyworm, African armyworm and locusts hence our ministry has established department that is specifically looking at migratory pest control," he said.
"The pest control programme will be a continuous to make sure that when it comes to summer cropping our traditional grains do not suffer."
Mr Nyoni said under Intwasa/Pfumvudza, small scale farmers will have five plots that will focus on cereals, legume and oil seed crop. He said they are currently busy conducting training programmes and farmers have started land preparations under Intwasa/Pfumvudza programmes.
"We have also noted that a lot of urbanites have joined the programme where they are farming in open space within the confines of cities. They also embrace soil and moisture conversation techniques hence we training them to do Intwasa/Pfumvudza," he said.
"We are training farmers with the emphasis to minimise the disturbance of the soil besides the application of nutrients to maximise on yields. The use of mulching also helps increase the conservation of moisture thereby improving chances of a good harvest."
Mr Nyoni said peri-urban farmers will access an input package comprising 2kg of maize seed, 10kg of basal fertiliser and top-dressing fertiliser. He said they are targeting 25 000 households in all 29 wards of Bulawayo metropolitan province.
"We will only distribute inputs to those who would have finished the recommended land preparations. The intention is to support as many farmers as possible, but looking at the past two seasons, we have been able to go up to 25 000 farmers who received inputs," he said.
"The thrust of this Intwasa/Pfumvudza concept is that we don't what to waste input anymore hence we want to make sure that the inputs we are letting out there give us a return which is in the form of household food security and surplus going to GMB."
Mr Nyoni said the support from Government under the programme is for the five plots, although a farmer can source other inputs if they want. Mr Nyoni said in Matabeleland North we are targeting at least 90 000 hectares of maize and 65 000 hectares of traditional grains across all programmes.
Acting director of agricultural rural development and advisory services for Matabeleland South, Mr Mkhunjulelwa Ndlovu said land preparation is ongoing with the province targeting 130 000 farmers under Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme. Mr Ndlovu urged farmers to intensify land preparation for them to attain high yields. He however, said they are yet to receive the inputs.
This year farmers are expected to plant 2 million hectares of maize. For sorghum, Government has set a target of 380 000 hectares to produce 304 000 tonnes while 250 000ha are set to be put under pearl millet to produce 150 000 tonnes.
Farmers are expected to plant 25 000ha of finger millet to produce 13 750 tonnes of the crop. Some farmers have started land preparations while others are procuring inputs. In the 2022/23 state of preparedness report, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka said the 2022/23 summer programme's strategic objective was to sustainably increase crop production and productivity to meet and surpass the national requirements for both human consumption and industrial use.
Self-financed farmers are expected to put 1 369 798ha of maize, the Agricultural Rural Development Authority farms 17 278ha, private sector 40 000ha, the National Enhanced Agriculture Productivity Scheme (NEAPS) and Pfumvudza 367 964ha.
"The 2021/2022 season has largely reflected the negative effects of climate change and has heightened the need to accelerate (and consolidate) climate-proofing strategies at every scale of farming," the report noted.
The area planted to maize decreased by 1 percent from 1 920 541ha in the 2020/21 season to 1 903 669ha in 2021/22. The area planted to maize under Pfumvudza/Intwasa is 342 860ha representing 18 percent of the total area planted to maize.
Minister Masuka said the 2022/23 summer programme's strategic objective was to increase crop production and productivity through the implementation of the key tenets of the Agriculture Recovery Plan.
This is anchored on ensuring that crops grown and livestock raised are determined by agro-ecological requirements accelerating climate proofing strategies for smallholder farmers by imposing mandatory preconditions for the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme, such as training, holing out, liming and mulching, including herbicide and water retention enhancers in input packages.
Government is targeting to produce 3 million tonnes of maize during the 2022/23 summer cropping season with land preparations already underway.
This comes as the Second Republic has made food security a top priority and is working towards a US$8,2 billion agriculture industry economy, contributing 20 percent of GDP by 2025, underpinned by the country's National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) — the driver towards Vision 2030 to make Zimbabwe an upper middle-class economy.
The country requires 2,2 million tonnes of maize for human and livestock consumption and the three million tonnes target will position Zimbabwe as a significant player in grain production in the region. About 25 000 urban farmers in Bulawayo metropolitan province are set to receive agricultural inputs for the 2021/2022 farming season under Intwasa/Pfumvudza.
In Matabeleland North Province, 165 000 farmers are set to receive inputs under Intwasa/Pfumvudza while 130 000 farmers in Matabeleland South will benefit under the programme. In the previous season, Bulawayo farmers harvested 5 000 tonnes of maize.
GMB employees place covers on Presidential Input seed packs at the Bulawayo Depot yesterday
Intwasa is a concept aimed at climate proofing agriculture by adopting conservation farming techniques and involves use of small plots and applying the correct agronomic practices for higher returns.
The Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme, designed for small-scale farmers will this season benefit 2,3 million households in the communal, A1, small-scale commercial farming and old resettlement sectors to produce cereals, oilseeds and legumes in the forthcoming summer cropping season.
Under the programme, each farming household will get an input package comprising 10kg maize seed, 5kg sorghum, 2kg pearl millet, 5kg soya beans, 2kg sunflower/castor beans (castor bean will be inter-cropped in the Intwasa crops) and 5kg sugar beans or 5kg cowpeas or roundnuts. The seed types and varieties will depend on the farming region. The programme will support five Intwasa/Pfumvudza plots of 39m x 16m in each household with a standardised crop input package drawn from maize, sorghum, pearl millet, soya beans, sunflower, groundnuts, vegetables and cow peas.
In the low potential areas, the five plots will comprise three maize plots, one for family food and two to produce grain for sale, one plot on half the farms for soya beans and one plot under sugar beans or groundnuts or cow peas. In low rainfall agro-ecological regions, three plots will be put under cereals maize, sorghum and pearl millet. The maize plot is for household food and the other two plots under traditional grains for commercial sale
Acting director of agricultural rural development and advisory services for Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces, Mr Dumisani Nyoni said based on the agro-ecological factors, traditional grains will be at the forefront in the region with limited option on maize.
"This year's Intwasa/Pfumvudza cropping programme is going to be focused more on climate proofing than what we have done in the previous two seasons.
"This year Government will only supply inputs to farmers based on their agro-ecological region as opposed to the farmer's interest," he said.
In Matabeleland North, there are three agro-ecological regions based on the amount of rainfall that is received.
"We have natural region three with a household population of about 14 000, natural region four, which has the bulk number of 99 000 households and region five with about 52 000 households. This year, we are saying farmers in regions four and five are supposed to concentrate more on the production of traditional grains because they are able to withstand moisture stress and low levels of rainfall than maize," said Mr Nyoni.
"Other than sorghum and millet, the emphasise will be on the production of sunflower, cowpeas, traditional peas and groundnuts and sugar beans."
Mr Nyoni said farmers in regions with higher rainfall will focus more on maize, although with an option to grow traditional grains as a stop gap measure in the event of a dry spell.
"However, we have noted that the production of traditional grains is hampered by the issue of quelea birds, fall armyworm, African armyworm and locusts hence our ministry has established department that is specifically looking at migratory pest control," he said.
"The pest control programme will be a continuous to make sure that when it comes to summer cropping our traditional grains do not suffer."
Mr Nyoni said under Intwasa/Pfumvudza, small scale farmers will have five plots that will focus on cereals, legume and oil seed crop. He said they are currently busy conducting training programmes and farmers have started land preparations under Intwasa/Pfumvudza programmes.
"We have also noted that a lot of urbanites have joined the programme where they are farming in open space within the confines of cities. They also embrace soil and moisture conversation techniques hence we training them to do Intwasa/Pfumvudza," he said.
"We are training farmers with the emphasis to minimise the disturbance of the soil besides the application of nutrients to maximise on yields. The use of mulching also helps increase the conservation of moisture thereby improving chances of a good harvest."
Mr Nyoni said peri-urban farmers will access an input package comprising 2kg of maize seed, 10kg of basal fertiliser and top-dressing fertiliser. He said they are targeting 25 000 households in all 29 wards of Bulawayo metropolitan province.
"We will only distribute inputs to those who would have finished the recommended land preparations. The intention is to support as many farmers as possible, but looking at the past two seasons, we have been able to go up to 25 000 farmers who received inputs," he said.
"The thrust of this Intwasa/Pfumvudza concept is that we don't what to waste input anymore hence we want to make sure that the inputs we are letting out there give us a return which is in the form of household food security and surplus going to GMB."
Mr Nyoni said the support from Government under the programme is for the five plots, although a farmer can source other inputs if they want. Mr Nyoni said in Matabeleland North we are targeting at least 90 000 hectares of maize and 65 000 hectares of traditional grains across all programmes.
Acting director of agricultural rural development and advisory services for Matabeleland South, Mr Mkhunjulelwa Ndlovu said land preparation is ongoing with the province targeting 130 000 farmers under Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme. Mr Ndlovu urged farmers to intensify land preparation for them to attain high yields. He however, said they are yet to receive the inputs.
This year farmers are expected to plant 2 million hectares of maize. For sorghum, Government has set a target of 380 000 hectares to produce 304 000 tonnes while 250 000ha are set to be put under pearl millet to produce 150 000 tonnes.
Farmers are expected to plant 25 000ha of finger millet to produce 13 750 tonnes of the crop. Some farmers have started land preparations while others are procuring inputs. In the 2022/23 state of preparedness report, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka said the 2022/23 summer programme's strategic objective was to sustainably increase crop production and productivity to meet and surpass the national requirements for both human consumption and industrial use.
Self-financed farmers are expected to put 1 369 798ha of maize, the Agricultural Rural Development Authority farms 17 278ha, private sector 40 000ha, the National Enhanced Agriculture Productivity Scheme (NEAPS) and Pfumvudza 367 964ha.
"The 2021/2022 season has largely reflected the negative effects of climate change and has heightened the need to accelerate (and consolidate) climate-proofing strategies at every scale of farming," the report noted.
The area planted to maize decreased by 1 percent from 1 920 541ha in the 2020/21 season to 1 903 669ha in 2021/22. The area planted to maize under Pfumvudza/Intwasa is 342 860ha representing 18 percent of the total area planted to maize.
Minister Masuka said the 2022/23 summer programme's strategic objective was to increase crop production and productivity through the implementation of the key tenets of the Agriculture Recovery Plan.
This is anchored on ensuring that crops grown and livestock raised are determined by agro-ecological requirements accelerating climate proofing strategies for smallholder farmers by imposing mandatory preconditions for the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme, such as training, holing out, liming and mulching, including herbicide and water retention enhancers in input packages.
Source - The Chronicle
