The Sunday Mail
Tanyaradzwa Rusike
Listed seed maker Seed Co is encouraging farmers to switch to horticulture to reduce the risk of low yields and crop failure, which is associated with climate change.
Increasing incidences of freak weather conditions, intermittent rains and floods are largely blamed on climate change.
Seed Co’s agronomy and extension services manager, Dr John Bhasera said the vegetable farming business helps farmers to hedge their earnings by spreading risk.
“Climate change is a reality and it brings in some risks, especially with regards to crop failure and low yields. Therefore, vegetables play a very crucial role in terms of spreading the risk,” he said.
Vegetable farming, he added, has the potential to boost earnings through inherent export opportunities in the sector.
Dr Bhasera said: “There are some export opportunities in countries like Mozambique, Namibia and Angola, or even beyond the continent… and producing vegetables will earn the country much-needed foreign currency.
“We are, therefore, encouraging farmers to venture into vegetable production because there is already a huge market.”
Seed Co believes that successful farming of vegetables depends on high-quality seeds and sound agronomic practices.
“What is important for us is to produce high-quality vegetable crops with better yields.
“Choosing the right seed variety contributes more than 50 percent to the farmer’s success story and coupled with good agronomic practices, they are assured of a successful crop,” said Dr Basera.
Speaking at a Vegetable Field Day recently a farmer from Macheke Mrs Claveria Madziva said vegetable farming could help diversify revenue streams, particularly at a time when input costs are rising.
“The initiative that Seed Co has introduced is good, but it comes at a time when fertilisers are expensive,” she said.
“I have decided to switch to vegetables because chicken feed is being sold at exorbitant prices,” she said.
