Calvin Manika
GOVERNMENT has moved to capacitate farmers in Hwange as it seeks to consolidate food security in different parts of the country.
This comes at a time the country recorded a bumper harvest following good rains.
In a bid to avert starvation, government through the Ministry of Lands recently hosted a three day training at Lukosi Irrigation Scheme in Hwange.
Lukosi Irrigation Scheme is one of the biggest farming schemes in Matabeleland North providing space for many farmers especially women.
In her presentation, Hwange District Agricultural Extension Officer Ancetta Moyo told delegates that, it was time for the people to enhance skills in agricultural productivity.
“There is increasing population growth and a decline in food production due to climate change. This year it’s better. Cognisance of that, the government has come to capacitate rural farmers so that we can produce for our families, communities and the nation,” said Moyo.
The training consisted of practical lessons to capacitate the farmers on the sustainable framing practices.
For the past years, the Lukosi Irrigation Scheme which is monitored by an Agritex Office has been operating under the support of the government’s Command Agriculture initiative.
Farmers who attended were educated to employ farming methods which enable them to feed more people with less land and labour.
Lukosi Irrigation scheme chairperson Lucia Mpala expressed gratitude to the gesture by the government.
“We have been facing several challenges, especially in yester years. Our dam was depleting in volumes due to erratic rains and high temperatures. But, we can see that this year we have water and the government is supporting us with seed and skills which is important for our farming,” said Mpala.
Climate change induced droughts have been threating the food security for the past years.
The training organisers said, reversing the direction of current trends in agriculture is vital for national development.
Despite Hwange falling under agro ecological region 4 which is characterised with low rainfall and high temperatures, farmers were encouraged good agriculture practices such as horticulture, and farming of cereals.
Most of the communal famers have been surviving on small grains like millet and sorghum which requires low rains while others supplementing the seasonal output with horticulture in the irrigation scheme.
Meanwhile, Lukosi Irrigation Scheme is set to embark on winter wheat production after receiving a 100 kgs seed donation from the government.
