Jump to full article: Zimbabwe Herald (zw), 2009-07-21
Author: Isdore Guvamombe
Intro: WHEN the Government embarked on the land reform programme about a decade ago, it automatically opened avenues for black farmers to venture into new areas of agricultural production which had largely remained the preserve of a few white commercial farmers in Rhodesia in the early years of the country’s independence.
One of these crops is tobacco, the cash cow that has since transformed the lives of many farmers.
Internationally, tobacco production systems have been changing technologically and the only way new Zimbabwean tobacco farmers can remain viable is to move with international technological changes.
Now that it is abundantly clear that the land reform programme is irreversible, Zimbabwe needs to retain its status as Southern Africa’s main producer of tobacco used as blend. . . .
For Zimbabwe to retain its status as one of the major producers of the golden leaf, farmers must show dynamism by moving with the times and harnessing new international technological changes. . . .
Available statistics show that Zimbabwe has managed to phase out the use of about 100 000 tonnes of methyl bromide in the 2009 summer crop alone through the use of a more economical technology called the float tray system.
Trays of seedlings floating in water have replaced the ordinary seedbeds done on the ground under the traditional garden system.
One of the farmers who have successfully abandoned the seedbed and effectively the use of methyl bromide is Mr Douglas Charles Mhembere of Ushamba Farm in Trewlaney who used to grow 15 hectares of tobacco using the seedbed system.
After embarking on the new method he has since moved up to 50ha after finding the floating tray system easy to manage and more efficient. . . .
With the use of floating trays, it sounds much easier to avoid soil-related problems in seedling production. Zimbabwean farmers should be encouraged to engage in the new technology.
Jump to full article » |