The Sunday Mail
Mr Peter Gambara
Last season proved that with proper planning and implementation, and good rains, it is possible to achieve a good yield. Zimbabwe’s economy is poised to grow by more than 3,5 percent mainly on the back of good performances in agriculture.
Addressing the Zanu-PF Politburo some two weeks ago, President Mugabe implored the responsible authorities to ensure adequate preparations for summer cropping.
At the National Council of Chiefs’ Conference in Bulawayo last week, the President again hailed the Presidential Well-Wishers Agricultural Inputs Support Scheme and Command Agriculture for guaranteeing national food self-sufficiency last season.ddressing the Zanu-PF Politburo some two weeks ago, President Mugabe implored the responsible authorities to ensure adequate preparations for summer cropping.
However, it appears we are far from ready this time around as Command Agriculture inputs are still to be disbursed.
Time is running out, and many farmers who put inputs to good use last season are worried about delays.
We are now in November, yet no inputs have been issued.
This is despite the fact that authorities had promised to distribute them by end of September, well before the start of summer cropping.
It appears only farmers contracted to grow small areas and those in A1 and communal areas have already started benefiting from the Presidential Well-Wishers Agricultural Inputs Support Scheme.
However, many of those in marginal rainfall areas will not plant maize until late November or early December when effective rains are expected.
Priorities seem upside down here.
At the Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe 2017-18 maize buying arrangement meeting in July, Sakunda Holdings’ Mr Kuda Tagwirei and Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Mr Justin Mupamhanga assured stakeholders that funding for the 350 000 hectares of maize and soya bean targeted in the 2017-18 summer cropping season had already been secured.
Both assured delegates that lessons had been learnt, and, therefore, inputs would be distributed in September.
Three months later, there is no clear indication of when the inputs will be available.
At the same meeting, Chemplex Corporation Chief Executive Mr Tapuwa Mashingaidze indicated that about 400 000 tonnes of fertilisers would be required to meet the country’s requirements, with 220 000 tonnes of this going towards Command Agriculture.
He assured participants that unlike last season, fertiliser manufacturers would be equal to the task.
It is, therefore, surprising that fertiliser-manufacturing companies seem to be making last minute efforts to produce this key input.
Shortage of fertilisers on the market is highlighted by the fact that self-financing farmers are being limited to purchasing only two bags per person.
Some fertiliser types are unavailable.
Command Agriculture divides farmers into those with irrigation facilities and those without; and many who achieved high yields last season had irrigated part of their crop.
Farmers normally irrigate in October, taking advantage of soaring October temperatures.
However, as it stands, it now means almost all farmers will have to plant with the rains.
Last season was exceptionally good. Even farmers who planted late benefited from the rains that continued well into April this year.
The 2017-18 weather forecast says we are unlikely to experience a repeat of last season, and that some regions might experience normal-to-below-normal rainfall.
This calls for early establishment of some maize crop using irrigation.
Some Command Agriculture officials insist that all farmers be paid up before they get new inputs.
However, farmers have countered this argument by pointing out areas of Command Agriculture that need improvement.
Though the programme kicked off in mid-October, it dragged on until late December.
Some farmers could not access basal fertilisers until late into December even though some seed varieties required more time to reach maturity.
Fortunately, the rainy season was extremely good and extended well into April, thereby ensuring most maize reached maturity.
In some instances, farmers accessed diesel for tillage late.
It becomes difficult to work on some soils, especially the red ones, when rain starts falling more regularly in December.
A number of farmers ended up abandoning tillage and planting as they got inputs late into December.
Some insisted on planting that late, and suffered due to too much rains in January and February.
Water-logged maize will simply turn yellow and die.
This partly explains why only about 50 percent of those who got inputs managed to repay loans.
Top-dressing fertilisers were also in short supply.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had to intervene in January to provide additional foreign currency to enable fertiliser companies to import urea for top-dressing.
This managed to save part of the crop, but many farmers had already been badly affected.
Herbicide availability was also erratic.
The weed control window period is short.
An example is a herbicide called Glyphosate that was used to control star grass and other notorious grasses last season.
This chemical should be applied not more than four days after planting as further delay will burn germinating maize.
The chemical burns anything green.
Banking on last season’s experiences, many farmers are geared up to improve their performances by rectifying mistakes of last year.
However, insistence on all farmers clearing debts raises many implementation questions. It appears farmers are back to old systems.
Surely, if a farmer paid 80-90 percent of his or her debt after facing challenges, why should he or she be punished?
They should, instead, be given inputs on time and encouraged to rectify last season’s problems, including early planting.
Many farmers now appreciate problems they faced during Command Agriculture’s first year of implementation and are geared to overcome them.
This year, there is the added advantage of a complementary soya bean crop.
However, delays could impede planting both crops on time.
Last season proved that with proper planning and implementation, and good rains, it is possible to achieve a good yield.
Zimbabwe’s economy is poised to grow by more than 3.5 percent mainly on the back of good performances in agriculture.
Things should start moving immediately.
Mr Peter Gambara is an agricultural economist and consultant based in Harare. He wrote this article for The Sunday Mail.
