Govt avails $30 million for soil testing A research officer with the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture in the Department of Research and Specialists Services, Mr Hope Mazungunye (centre with cap) shows the Permanent Secretary in the same ministry Dr John Bhasera (left) a state-of-the-art mobile soil testing equipment during the commissioning of the Matabelelend South soil testing laboratory at Matopo Research Station yesterday. (Picture by Dennis Mudzamiri)

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has availed $30 million to fund decentralisation of the soil testing laboratories to all the country’s provinces which will serve as centres of excellence for Sadc region and improve crop production.

The private sector organisations also disbursed R425 000 towards capacitating local companies involved in soil testing.

The Government has collected approximately 60 000 soil samples for testing under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme.

Soil testing informs how rich or nutritionally deficient a piece of land is.

After soil testing is conducted, measures can be put in place to improve its quality which leads to improved crop production.

The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement yesterday commissioned the Matabeleland South Soil Testing Laboratory at Matopo Research Institute.

The lab would serve Matabeleland region while Government works on decentralising the service to all the provinces.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr John Basera commissioned the laboratory.

He said decentralising soil testing services is in tandem with Government’s devolution thrust.

Dr Basera said science should inform modern agricultural practices if the country is to achieve food sufficiency.

“Scaling up of technologies required for soil testing should lead to improved service delivery and further retooling of already existing laboratories in Harare and Marondera. These are earmarked to be centres of excellence for the Sadc region. We need not remain behind as technologies evolve and modern analytical procedures are developed. We received laboratory equipment and materials worth R425 000 from local private companies,” he said.

“So far, we have eight ph meters, four water distillers, four top pan balances, glassware and consumables. The International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations supported us with four state-of-the-art soil testing kits, one which we saw today, Treasury also availed $30 million towards the programme. When the procurement process is complete, we shall have 23PH meters, 19 water distillers, 19 top pan balances and several other requisite laboratory materials.”

Dr Basera said the use of chemicals such as fertilisers affects soils quality and land productivity.

He said the soil testing programme is therefore done to rehabilitate worn-out land to improve farm productivity.

“As Government we have embarked on another ambitious target of testing soil countrywide for Ph (acidity or alkalinity). The programme is dubbed ‘Blitz Soil Conditioning Programme’ and is intended to promote the use of lime to sweeten acidic soils. This is clearly spelt out in the Agriculture Recovery Plan, where the Blitz Soil Conditioning Programme is expected create awareness of the need to “sweeten” acidic soils, decentralise soil testing and analysis services and ensure the service is affordable,” said Dr Basera.

“This cannot be achieved without the capacitating our laboratories and of course decentralising the service in order to improve effectiveness and efficiency. National soil testing has always been centralised in Harare at Chemistry and Soil Research Institute. Limited analytical procedures are also conducted in Marondera at Soil Productivity Research Laboratory under the same institute. Some private laboratories may exist, but they are limited in scope and geographical presence,” he said.

Dr Basera said while the decentralisation programme is starting at provincial level, Government is aiming at cascading it to district level.

“The launch, today of the soil testing laboratory in Matabeleland South Province based at Matopo Research Institute is the commencement of decentralisation initiative to see excellent service provision in soil testing, analysis and advisory service provision. Further, ministry is targeting research institutes such as this one, agricultural colleges and institutions of higher learning in all the provinces to offer soil testing services,” he said.

Dr Basera said soil testing is part of the measures being put in place to commercialise the agricultural sector for even smallholder farmers.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka has said the agricultural sector has a huge role to play as the country aims to achieve vision 2030.

Government has embarked on an ambitious Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy with the aim of achieving food security, substitute imports while increasing exports. – @nqotshili.

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