SYDNEY MUBAIWA
CHIVI- Valley Seeds, one of the Presidential Inputs suppliers last week held a field day in Chivi North Constituency in a bid to showcase its newly introduced PAN 53 maize product.
The field day was held at Chivi North Member of Parliament Godfrey Mukungunugwa’s homestead on March 7 in Ward 5.
In an interview the company’s Commercial Business Director Tich Maponga said the main agenda of the field day was to showcase the new PAN 53 maize seed variety.
“This farmer has demonstrated high levels of good farming practices. The maize crop is looking much attractive. We came here to showcase this product to farmers in Chivi District that this PAN 53 can do wonders for them,” he said.
The company has various maize seed varieties under Pioneer and Panner.
The seed variety is drought tolerant and can be grown under irrigation.
“This product is drought tolerant. It can also do extremely well under irrigation. As a seed company, we also have traditional grains like cow peas, pearl millet, sugar beans and sorghum,” he said.
Valley Seeds agronomist Tinashe Bvukumbwe urged farmers in the area to focus on traditional grains which do well in the face of climate change.
“We continue to encourage farmers in this area to focus on traditional grains given their resilience to climate change. Yes maize like this this PAN 53 variety might do well in a season like this, but we recommend traditional grains. As Valley Seeds, we are working with about 300 farmers supporting them in producing these small grains,” he said.
Mukungunugwa’s homestead also serves as a field school where more than 30 farmers meet and receive training on good farming practices.
Host farmer Thembisa Huruva Mukungunugwa said the Pfumvudza /Intwasa Programme and Village Business Units has transformed lives in their community.
She said they started on a small piece of land and produced enough for the family and surplus for sale.
“When we started this Pfumvudza Programme in 2018, we were very skeptical and we started with just one plot, a very small one. However, after the good harvest, we realised that the concept is just noble and life- changing. This year, we planted this PAN 53 maize seed variety on a 0.3ha and it is doing well. We are expecting to harvest more than two tonnes,” she said.
Speaking at the event, Acting Chief Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services ( ARDAS) Leonard Munamati said the event is a testimony of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme’s success.
“This event is a testimony of the goodness of the Pfumvudza programme and we want to continue advising our farmers to take it up seriously.
“Farmers in dry regions should grow traditional grains which are drought tolerant,” he said.
Masvingo Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa in his speech said the area under Pfumvudza in Masvingo province is 27 120 hectares with Chivi district accounting for 2 460 hectares of sorghum and 999 hectares under maize.
He said during the 2024 -2025 agricultural season, Chivi district targeted 16 345 Pfumvudza plots and managed to achieve 101 percent.
Chivi district has 587 crop farmer field schools and 201 livestock field schools.
“As a province, we want to thank the government for its continued support to communal farmers. The crop that we are seeing here is a clear evidence that many of them, especially here in Chivi, an area known for drought, are going to harvest something. We continue to urge our farmers to carefully look after their crop until they harvest,” he said.
The Pfumvudza programme has transformed a number of rural communities, with Masvingo Province having exceeded its target.
