THE government is planning to double the strategic grain reserves from 750 000 tonnes to 1,5 million tonnes to cushion citizens from hunger when lean farming seasons arise.
In the first Crop and Livestock Assessment Report, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development minister Anxious Masuka said the move would save foreign currency.
“The government reviewed the physical strategic grain reserve in 2022 from 750 000 tonnes to 1,5 million tonnes. To achieve this, surplus annual production and excess annual consumption must be planned over the next three seasons,” Masuka said.
The strategic grain reserves review comes after the Agriculture Rural Development Authority (Arda) was tasked to increase hectares under irrigation to 100 000 to guarantee 500 000 tonnes to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
He said only the Arda scheme and the surplus from Pfumvudza/Intwasa must, according to contract law, be sold to the GMB.
In the report, the area under maize declined by 12%, to 1 728 897 hectares in the 2023/24 season from 1 962 576 ha in the previous season.
“The target for the season was 1 782 000ha, so the area planted is a 97% achievement. Of the 1 728 897ha dedicated to maize, 23% had been planted in November 2023, in December 2023 approximately 60% of the area, equivalent to 1 070 416ha, was planted.
“In January 2024, 17% of the area of 297 120ha was planted,” part of the report read.
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Government has also advised farmers to plant according to the agro-ecological matching strategy, noting that there had been an increase in the cultivation of traditional grains, especially in the southern provinces.
“The sorghum cultivation area has increased to 405 116ha, a 27% increase compared to the previous area of 319 759ha.
The area for pearl millet has increased from 180 666ha in 2023 to 194 232ha, a 7,5% increase. Cumulatively, maize and traditional grains were 99,6% of target, some 2 349 921ha,” the report read.
Government further indicated that the condition of the traditional grains was much better than maize, highlighting the government’s progress and success in eliminating “policy-induced drought”.
According to the report, progress was made in reducing “household-induced drought”, a phenomenon where households still prefer maize in agro-ecological regions 4 and 5.
“A combination of ‘household-induced drought’ and ‘weather-induced drought’ has the deadly effect of wiping crops, leading to food dependence, hence the government’s modification of social welfare access to include climate-proof interventions by farmers.
“By the time of assessment, 21-27 January 2024, the crop condition in the country’s northern regions was primarily assessed as fair to good, whereas in the southern regions, it was predominantly poor,” the report added.
