HomeFarming

Sheep production on the rise

THE Agriculture Ministry has indicated that sheep production is on a steady rise with the herd growing from 600 000 last year to 700 000 in 2022. According to the Ministry,  given the increase in the herd, sheep producers are on the right track in...

Black skin, white masks: Part Two

WITH most summer crops ripe, harvesting is underway, with emphasis on the storage of the harvested crop considered key in ensuring farmers get good returns.  Experts contend that harvesting between March and June helps prevent grain loss to birds.  Most commercial farmers only store harvested maize...

Young farmers boosting agric production

THE economic development mantra adopted by the Second Republic, of ‘building the nation brick-by-brick’, has resulted in a positive ripple effect as locals in various economic sectors have been challenged to play their part in rebuilding the economy. Players in the agricultural sector, the bedrock...

Sunflower production key

IN December last year, Government announced the pre-planting producer prices for summer crops, with the  ZWL$150 686,20 per tonne price set for sunflower attracting growers to consider producing it. In the past seasons, sunflower has not been a crop of choice for commercial production for most...

Boost for fish farmers in Kariba

OVER the years, fish production at Lake Kariba and the Zambezi River has been on the decline. This caused by the lake’s ecosystem which is sensitive to volatile environmental conditions, such as droughts. Lack of an effective management system has directly affected the livelihoods of small...

‘More goats to the people’

THE EU-funded Value Chain Alliance for Livestock Upgrading and Empowerment (VALUE) project officially opened the Rushinga Goat Improvement Centre (GIC) which is set to be a primary business hub for small and medium goat producers. The centre, which was completed in December 2020, is expected...

Think about Sesame seeds

THE 2021/2022 summer cropping season has begun and efforts continue to be made on the state and future of the country’s exports with emphasis being put on agricultural produce The country has the potential to grow and export an array of produce sought-after in major...

Adding value to indigenous knowledge

PRESIDENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA recently commissioned the Mapfura/Marula Value-Addition Project in Rutenga, Masvingo Province, set to value-add to local resources. The plant is a National Biotechnology Authority project and is in line with Government’s Devolution Programme which seeks to promote development through the use of locally...

Consider groundnuts this season

Agriculture Reporter  GROUNDNUTS are a popular local crop grown by many smallholder farmers and are second after maize in terms of area coverage.  Groundnuts are an important source of food, nutrition as well as income. As the 2021/2022 summer cropping season starts, farmers must grow groundnuts. Groundnuts usually...

Sugar bean production

AS farmers get ready for the 2021/2022 summer cropping season, it is imperative to note that farming is a rewarding venture if the appropriate crop is planted in the right regions at the right time with the right inputs. One crop for farmers to consider...

Fish farming on the rise

A GROWING number of local farmers are venturing into tilapia fish farming, a venture that has proved very lucrative. The demand for fish is increasing as consumers now want to try different types of meat apart from the usual chicken, beef or pork.  Tilapia fish, commonly...

Revisiting livestock production: Part Two

By Elton Ziki DEVELOPMENT of communal cattle production can be a sustainable way to improve the livelihoods of the rural population in Zimbabwe once communal cattle production systems in the communal areas are embraced for  a prosperous and upper-middle income economy by 2030. The different types...

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