The Sunday Mail
Tendai Chara
CALLS have been made for farmers to dig trenches and contour ridges as measures to mitigate the effects of the incessant rains that are pounding the country.
The incessant rains, which have resulted in leaching, have the potential to ruin crops and reduce harvests.
Leaching is the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil.
Dr Shadreck Makombe, president of the Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe, advised those that planted their crops in low lying areas, wetlands and river banks to make efforts to divert water from their fields so as to save their crops.
“The incessant rains have resulted in leaching and my advice to farmers is for them to dig trenches and contour ridges. The ridges will divert the water from the fields and can be harvested for future use,” Dr Makombe said.
Dr Makombe said if the country continues to receive the large amounts of rainfall, harvests will be reduced.
“Crops like beans need moderate rainfall. Crops like tobacco are easily affected by leaching since they will not be able to stand on their own. The digging of trenches can, however, be an expensive undertaking,” added Dr Makombe.
