Faith Ndou
CHIREDZI-Acting District Agritex Officer Fungai Jeke has urged farmers in lowveld to intensify preparations for the 2025/26 farming season by adopting climate smart practices such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, crop diversification and use of traditional small grains.
Speaking to The Midweek Watch, Jeke emphasized the importance of early readiness in light of the area’s location in Natural Region 5 which is characterized by low and erratic rainfall.
“We hope farmers are now prepared with their Pfumvudza plots and have applied enough manure,” said Jeke.
“This will help improve yields even under dry conditions.”
She encouraged households to install simple rain gauges to measure rainfall.
“Knowing how much rain has fallen helps farmers decide the right time to plant. It’s a key step in reducing losses,” she added.
Jeke advised farmers to stagger planting dates instead of sowing all crops at once. She also urged diversification.
“Plant different crops and varieties to spread risk and improve food and income security.”
Given the region’s dry conditions, she strongly recommended focusing on drought tolerant traditional grains like sorghum, millet and rapoko.
“These crops ensure food availability even in poor rainfall years,” she said.
Jeke also highlighted the importance of including at least one cash crop for income generation.
