The Sunday Mail
CALLS for farmers to switch to drought and heat tolerant maize varieties are growing louder as the 2018-19 rainfall season draws nearer.
Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries are facing El Nino after the 2018-19 seasonal rainfall forecast pointed to normal rains with a bias towards below normal throughout the season.
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), a reputable international research and training institution which is renowned for its innovative technologies that boost yields, has once again reminded farmers that the planting of drought and heat-tolerant varieties is a sure way of combating the effects of El Nino.
The organisation, whose improved drought-tolerant maize varieties are popular with local farmers, also called upon farmers to practice conservation agriculture as a way of combating drought.
Conservation agriculture, according to CIMMYT, plays an important role in the reduction of rural poverty and in increasing food security.
Dr Cosmos Magorokosho, a senior maize breeder and the CIMMYT representative in Zimbabwe, said for farmers to increase their yields this season, they must increase the uptake of drought and heat-tolerant seed varieties and couple that with use of moisture conservation practices such as conservation agriculture.
“As CIMMYT, this is the chorus that we have been singing. There is need for more local farmers to switch to drought and heat-tolerant varieties. In my view, the uptake should increase,” Dr Magorokosho said.
According to Dr Magorokosho, only 30 percent of households surveyed grow drought-tolerant varieties.
Added Dr Magorokosho: “Studies have shown that the drought and stress-tolerant maize varieties that we are producing can increase yields by 40 percent under severe drought conditions when compared to local non-drought tolerant commercial varieties.”
“By switching to such varieties, local farmers could greatly improve their livelihoods and food security at no additional cost.”
The organisation, which has its headquarters in Mexico, provides-free of charge private seed companies with base breeding seeds of climate resilient crop varieties that withstand drought and heat stress and offer protection against the emergence of new diseases and pest.
CIMMYT is also in the forefront in the training of local maize breeders as it provides the breeders with the knowledge and skills needed to apply modern maize breeding methods in their agricultural research and development programmes.
The organisation estimates that close to 70 percent of the country’s commercial maize seed varieties are produced with its help.
Over the past seven years, the organisation has also been at the forefront in the development of pro-vitamin A maize varieties.
The organisation enjoys a cordial relationship with the Government, dating back to 1985 when a Memorandum Of Understanding was signed between the two parties.
In 2012, a Host Country Agreement was signed, according CIMMYT Diplomatic Status.
Dr Martin Kropff, the CIMMYT director-general recently met President Mnangagwa and Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Air Marshall (Retired) Perrance Shiri.
During the meeting, the two parties discussed ways of enhancing agricultural productivity in the face of erratic rains expected in the 2018-19 farming season.
Apart from working towards improving food security, CIMMYT is among some of those organisations that have robust social responsibility programmes.
Last week, the organisation embarked on an environmental awareness programme that turned the Harare-Mazowe highway into a sea of yellow, white, orange and grey shirts.
More than 80 CIMMYT workers embarked in a cleaning and education campaign targeting commuters that use the Harare-Mazowe highway.
The commuters have a tendency of throwing litter along the highway.
Dr Magorokosho spoke at length about the awareness programme.
“Issues to do with the environment are not just for the Environmental Management Agency or the Government. Instead, keeping the environment clean is everybody’s responsibility,” said Dr Magorokosho.
The organisation also feeds the elderly, with communities located near the training institute benefitting.
“We have been here since 1985 and some of the people that we are helping are former seasonal employees and those that were once employed in neighbouring farms. This is a way of giving back to the community that we depend so much on,” added Dr Magorokosho.
Mr Benson White (75), one of the beneficiaries of the programme, thanked CIMMYT for the provisions.
“I am from Malawi and do not have any children or relatives. Since I can no longer work for myself, I was struggling to feed myself. I am alive today because of this organisation’s goodwill,” Mr White said.
Beneficiaries are given basic foodstuffs such as rice, sugar, mealie-meal, cooking oil and soap, among others.
CIMMYT employees also pools their resources to pay school fees for more than 20 local school children.
