STAFF WRITER
MATABELELAND North villagers have decried government’s late disbursement of farming inputs, arguing that it will badly affect them.
“Here we plant the maize seed when it is dry and when it rains the crops will easily grow up,” said a villager from Mabale, Dete, Ruben Hadebe.
“Once it rains and the soil sucks up water it will be difficult to plant and for the crops to respond positively. So right now we are worried as to why the government has not availed seeds and fertiliser,” added Hadebe.
Government, this year ordered farmers all over the country, who wanted to receive free inputs to dig up holes that will be used to plant crops.
This scheme is under the Gatshompo programme.
Some villagers argue that the digging up of the farming holes in their fields is tiresome.
“Last year I just managed to harvest only two maize bags and I am buying mealie meal. So now to expect me to wake up in the morning to go and dig up holes in my farming field is difficult,” said Henry Ncube from Sembeula, in Nkayi district.
“It is fairly easily to farm using an ox drawn plough. But with Gatshompo you use a hoe and you will be hungry. Where does one get the energy,” asked Ncube.
Sembeula sits on the boundary between Nkayi and rural Kwekwe.
John Pfumidzai from Mabale, Dete said the late disbursements of funds will undo the holes that they have dug in their fields.
“Look, our fields are open areas and when rain comes it will wash away the soil and fill the holes. What then must we do? We have to redig the holes and this is unfair. The government should announce dates when it will give us inputs because with this rainfall season we will over work ourselves re-digging holes,” said Pfumidzai.
