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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu recently in Masvingo

DESPITE poor rains induced by El Nino, Mr Shadreck Chakwakuka, a lead farmer under Chimbudzi Farmer Field School from Mwenezi Village in, Masvingo province, expects a good harvest after planting traditional grains and applying skills received from the farmer-field capacity building programmes.

Mr Chakwakuka planted three plots under sorghum, which did well, while three plots of maize were a complete write-off.

He is one of the few farmers in the southern region, who have a positive story to tell about the resilience and success of planting small grains.

A farmer field school is a group-based learning process where farmers carry out experimental learning activities that help them understand the ecology of their farming practices. These activities involve simple experiments, regular field observations and group analysis.

Knowledge gained from these activities enables participants to make their own local specific decisions about farming management practices.

The Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa, initiated the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme a few years ago to counteract the low rainfall caused by climate change.

Pfumvudza/Intwasa has helped the country attain food security in the last three seasons, at the same time boosting farming incomes as subsistence farmers convert to small scale commercial growers.

Farmers in dry areas have been urged to grow traditional grains and those who took heed of this advice are better off this farming season.

“Prior to the farmer field school, we didn’t know much about good agricultural practices that we had to adopt in the face of climate change. We have received a great deal of knowledge such as the type of crops we have to grow, proper land preparation and choosing seed varieties, among other issues,” said Mr Chakwakuka.

“I’m now focusing more on producing traditional grains and I have realised that I made a good decision. For the past two years, I have managed to harvest despite our area receiving poor rains and this is the third year.

“We always had a mentality that we were supposed to plant maize and were only making losses,” he said.

Ms Annemary Mutahwa, a member of Chimbudzi Farmer Field School, said capacity building efforts have helped improve their way of farming, including seed selection based on the ecological characteristics.

“Our farming activities have greatly improved because we now know the various pests and diseases that can affect our crops and how to handle them. We also plant a variety of crops like cow peas and use the leaves for mulch. I’m glad to be able to share this knowledge with other farmers,” she said.

Mr Tendai Masvasuke said he was no longer experiencing crop losses ever since he started producing small grains. He said the varieties he grows are Hwedza, Okashana, SV4 and Kuyuma because of their good attributes.

Mwenezi Ward 4 Agritex extension officer, Mr Jona Bukuvani, said the ward has two farmer field schools, Sitera and Chumbudzi.

He said the farmer field schools have 56 lead farmers, who have established groups of 10 follower farmers each, whom they impart knowledge to.

“Through the farmer field school concept, we have managed to encourage farmers to adopt traditional grains. The farmer field schools have also helped to ensure that information cascades to other farmers. We have 56 lead farmers who have 10 follower farmers,” he said.

“There is a field where we carry out our experimental processes and the lead farmers also share knowledge with their followers. The farmers then go on to implement what they would have learnt in their individual fields. This helps to ensure that farmers adopt good agricultural practices for improved production.”

Government, through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development in partnership with Green Climate Fund and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Building Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Africa programme, rolled out the farmer field schools concept to promote peer to peer learning. Over 230 farmer field schools have been established under the programme.

The programme, which started in June 2020 will run until June 2027 under a US$47,8 million budget.

The project is being implemented in 14 districts in three provinces. In Matabeleland South, the project is in Umzingwane, Mangwe, Insiza, Matobo, Gwanda and Beitbridge. —@DubeMatutu