Zimpapers Logo

THE Pfumvudza/Intwasa conservation farming technique has been a game-changer since its national rollout in the 2020-21 farming season.

At its launch, the Government provided about 1,6 million smallholder farmers across the country with inputs for them to grow maize. The climate-proofed production model entails farmers concentrating on small portions of land instead of working acres of land, in some cases for tiny harvests.

Amid the increasing incidence and severity of droughts, this approach has been boosting food production when the conventional approach would have led to poor harvests and hunger.

This year, the Government set a target to enrol 3,5 million growers under Pfumvudza/Intwasa. According to official figures, 11,37 million plots have been prepared so far, with Mashonaland West leading the way with 1,93 million plots, followed by Mashonaland East with 1,77 million and Mashonaland Central with 1,65 million. Matabeleland North has established 808 700 plots, while Bulawayo has the fewest, with just 7 600 plots.

With the country expecting to receive normal to above normal rainfall over the October to March growing season, we expect a bumper harvest next year.

However, one challenge that farmers enrolled under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa have complained about is the back breaking work it entails in terms of making of the holes where they apply fertiliser and then plant. Yes, the fruits are great in the end, but some of our people, especially the elderly and those of poor health, cannot stand the hard labour involved in the holing process.

In our view, there are thousands more farmers who are willing to work under the climate-proofed model but are not participating fully because they do not have the backs to do so.

“We have heard the concerns about the labour intensity of Pfumvudza/Intwasa, and we have responded with mechanisation,” said Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Service chief director, Mr Leonard Munamati at a field day in Umguza on Friday.

“Farmers should not lose heart; machines like earth augers and tractors are now available.” This is good news not just for the elderly farmer but also for the country at large.

There are a number of companies which have started producing and selling earth augers, we reported yesterday. The hand-operated, petrol-powered machines cost between US$135 and $250 each, depending on its size.

We think this is a worthy investment for every farmer who is enrolled under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, not just the elderly or the not-so-physically-strong. The cost is competitive if we consider the work that the machine does.

An earth auger holes out a standard Pfumvudza/Intwasa plot in less than an hour yet manual holing of the same size of land would take three days. The difference is huge.

Wider adoption of this machine will ease the physical burden on the farmer. It enhances their efficiency. It saves them a great deal of time. It will boost the farmer enrolment under Pfumvudza/Intwasa. These efficiencies will mean greater household and national food security.