AS the curtain comes down on 2013 with this year’s cropping season almost half way through efforts continue to be made by stakeholders to boost the growth of the agriculture sector.
The year started with farmers preparing for the harvesting of crops such as maize, small grains and cotton while tobacco growers were in the final harvesting stage.
Government’s commitment to the growth of the sector was witnessed when President Robert Mugabe appointed two deputy ministers under the Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development ministry.
Davies Marapira was appointed the deputy minister responsible for Cropping, Mechanisation and Irrigation while Paddy Zhanda is responsible for Livestock.
This is a first for the sector and the move is meant to ensure focused attention to the key sectors of agriculture.
There was a lot of activity in the agriculture sector in the first half with the marketing of major crops such as tobacco, maize and cotton taking centre stage.
The 2012/2013 summer season was characterised by late and erratic rains and this negatively affected the maize crop.
Farmers had planted early and lost the first crop.
A dry spell was experienced in January and most crops wilted.
This year the country produced one million metric tonnes of grain which fell short the country’s annual requirement of two million metric tonnes.
Tobacco growers produced 143 million kilogrammes and only 2 000 hectares were put under wheat this winter, a figure which falls way below the initial target of 40 000 hectares.
President Mugabe in his address during the opening of the first session of the Eighth Parliament expressed concern over the changing rainfall patterns and said measures were being put in place to curb the effects of droughts.
“As part of strategies to mitigate the risks caused by droughts Government will emphasise increased reliance on irrigation agriculture, and water harvesting and conservation techniques,” he said.
“To alleviate the plight of our farmers who constantly bear the brunt of adverse weather conditions, Government will empower farmers through the provision of inputs support and marketing incentives.
“We must employ strategies that avert our country from developing an over-reliance on food imports and handouts from donors.”
President Mugabe said Government would hasten the operationalisation of the Commodity Exchange of Zimbabwe which will serve as a market where farmers can market and fetch fair prices for produce.
Now most farmers have planted their tobacco, maize and small grains.
This season Government availed US$161 million farming input support facility.
The scheme is expected to benefit 1,6 million households, mainly communal, old resettlement, small-scale and A1 farmers.
Under the scheme each household will receive 10 kilogrammes (kg) maize or small grain, 50 kg Compound D fertiliser, 50 kg Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser and 50 kg lime.
In the past seasons concern has been raised by farmers over inadequate support received from other stakeholders such as banks and contractors as it has been minimal.
This has greatly affected the output resulting in the country having to import grain to make up for the deficit.
This season the private sector has shown its confidence in the ‘new’ Government and has heeded calls to support the agriculture sector.
The Bankers Association of Zimbabwe is injecting US$620 million, with CBZ also chipping in with US$100 million.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will pump in US$19, 25 million that is expected to assist more than 77 000 small holder farmers.
With the inputs having been availed in time, stakeholders contend that the 2013/2014 season would be better than last season.
The number of tobacco growers has increased to 84 070 up from 62 743 a move that is set to boost production levels.
The increase in growers translates to the increased demand for knowledge by new growers who are not familiar with the regulations guiding tobacco production and marketing.
However, analysts contend that cotton production was likely to decline this season as many farmers were disgruntled with low producer prices and were shifting to other cash crops, mainly tobacco
Farmers have taken a keen interest in potato production with most now adopting the concept of growing the legume in planter bags.
Farmers have not been deterred by the various challenges such as limited farmer support to finance the crop production in terms of inputs as most farmers lack collateral to borrow from the bank as well as tight liquidity constraints.
A lot of lessons can be derived from 2013 as stakeholders strive to ensure the growth of the sector.