CommuTalk Reporter
GOKWE: A Gokwe farmer has become the envy of the community with his farming prowess set to significantly add on to the country’s strategic grain reserves.
Aleck Mpunzi (36) has become a shining example that age is just a number when one decides to take farming as a business.
Today, his 67 hectare maize crop which has reached the harvesting stage showing a great bill of health.
With no formal education in farming, Mpunzi attributes his farming prowess to generational experience with the education from extension officers also coming in handy in his farming abilities.
Also following good agronomic practices, the farmer is anticipating an average of nine tonnes per hectare from his maize crop this summer cropping season.
“The biggest lesson that changed my way of farming is understanding the needs of my soil texture. Previously we would just use any other seed to plant doing it the traditional ways.
“However, with help from extension officers we now do soil testing so that we determine the proper seed and fertilisers to apply. There is also need to monitor the crop and ensure that you put the right treatment when the time is ripe,” Mpunzi said.
Farming experts chipped in saying there is need for farmers to observe conservative farming methods in the face of the ElNino induced drought.
“We have just witnessed part of the crop where the pfumvudza farming was practiced. You can tell that the crop there is showing signs of life. We urge our farmers to work closely with their extension officers,” said Gokwe North District Extension Officer, Simon Gumindega.
“It is encouraging to note that the call by government for farmers to take farming as a business is being taken seriously. We are witnessing unprecedented improvements in the quality of yield on the crops of late. I just want to encourage our farmers to continue practicing good agronomic practices as guided by their extension officers,” added Valley Seeds Commercial director Tichaona Maponga.
Zimbabwe is poised for a bumper harvest this summer cropping season with experts anticipating close to three million metric tonnes of cereals leaving a surplus of around 1 comma two million tonnes thanks to the robust measures taken by the Second Republic in reviving the agriculture sector.
