By Rex Mphisa
COMMUNAL farmers in Beitbridge are being encouraged to put more hectorage under wheat this winter but such efforts have been adversely affected by low inputs.
According to a wheat tracking report for Matabeleland South, 600 hectares were expected for Beitbridge district wheat which had only been planted on 154.56 hectares
Another 150 hectares were expected to be planted at Toppick Investments Farm and inputs had been secured but some 268 hectares will be left idle because of lack of seed.
In the communal area Dombolidenje irrigation has offered to plant 11 hectares of wheat after their sugar bean crop was damaged by frost and planting was expected to commence soon, according to Agritex at Beitbridge.
Communal farmers and micro irrigators are expected to cover 171 hectares whose seed they have already collected while in total Toppick, one of the biggest producers will cover 171 hectares.
A winter wheat crop is highly possible in most areas of Beitbridge that are still moist and with favourable conditions following far above average rains last season, Agritex experts said.
“As for wheat we are on it though we are having challenges on inputs at our local GMB to supply our micro lrrigators whom we have recruited to put winter crop, however we face a mammoth challenge as most of our bigger hectorage should come from irrigation schemes which are not functioning,” said head of Agritex at Beitbridge Orpheous Ndlovu.
“Communal farmers who are micro lrrigators have collected inputs that cover 171ha however inputs are being sourced to increase wheat hectorage once availed according to Arda which has promised to deliver before planting window elapsed,” said Ndlovu.
He said Toppick lnvestment Farm is contracted by Government to plant 150ha and 100ha has been planted to date.
“Delays in inputs delivery is the only hurdle for them to get to our target or exceed. We keep our fingers crossed for imminent deliveries by Arda. On 268ha inputs are not yet available, farmers should get full packages so that we get good yields,” he said.
Beitbridge, agricultural initiatives target a total of 700 hectares for winter wheat production divided between two primary farming models to boost food security.
Large-scale Irrigation has 300 hectares developed and managed through institutional projects facilitated by the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA).
Micro-irrigation & Community Farming expects the other 400 hectares cultivated by local community farmers and smallholder irrigation schemes (such as the Chikwalakwala scheme).
Beitbridge has a total of 27 registered irrigation schemes development and revitalisation projects spearheaded by the government, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and various NGOs have modernized the operational capacity across many of these communal agricultural sites.
Several key irrigation schemes in the area include Shashe (which notably produces citrus), Tongwe, and Bili.
Mzingwane (Mtetengwe), Tshapfutshe (Aluwani), Jalukange, Sivule, and Ndambe and others could however be producing better than currently but have problems caused by animals and lack of maximum attention.