TAKUDZWA HILLARY CHIWANZA
The government has issued a clarion call to commercial farmers in Zimbabwe to significantly increase investing in traditional grains in attempts to combat climate change and bolster food security. This came following a tour of End Base Farm in Banket, Mashonaland West, by Professor Obert Jiri, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
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| Professor Obert Jiri (middle) |
Prof Jiri was impressed by the sorghum crop planted at End Base Farm, which is owned by Mr. Job Dalu and his family. 46 hectares of the crop were planted. The visit formed part of the government’s effort to promote traditional grains as a means of enhancing food and nutrition security across the country. Mr. Dalu said that the main crops at his farm are maize, sorghum, tobacco, and wheat – pointing to laudable efforts towards crop diversification.
Prof Jiri stressed how important it is to invest in crop diversification, primarily through investing in traditional grains, as a means to confront the challenges wrought to Southern Africa, Zimbabwe included, by climate change. He said it is pivotal to focus on traditional grains given how the situation on climate change shows no signs of abating.
"Climate change is going to get worse. There is nothing we can do about the climate that is changing, the only thing that we can do is to adapt to it. We must adapt by ensuring that we must diversify our crops and we also look at more climate-smart options for our cropping," Prof Jiri said.
"Scientists project that by 2050 we will have 10% less rainfall, temperatures will increase by 2°, so all those projections by scientists need to be taken on board. We respond to this by diversifying as you have done," he remarked, in reference to the sorghum crop at End Base Farm. "The area for maize in Zimbabwe will continue to decrease as climate change bites. We need to replace that area with more suitable crops, and sorghum is one of those."
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| The sorghum crop at End Base Farm |
Prof Jiri highlighted that farmers should not be hesitant to plant traditional grains like sorghum, saying the advantage of this is that there is less usage of inputs compared to popular cereals such as maize, making it cheaper to grow; and he also emphasised that it can also be used as stock feed.
He made mention of the fact that sorghum and other traditional grains are critical for the nation in terms of food security.
"These traditional grains are naturally biofortified which means they contain all the nutrients that we need. They are very high in zinc, iron, calcium and other micronutrients that we need for a healthy diet. You don't need to biofortify them on milling.
"We also need to teach our youngsters that traditional grains are what we must eat because it is naturally good food in terms of the nutrients."
He pointed out that there is a need to promote the processing of traditional grains, saying those in the business of manufacturing stock feed need to take cognisance of this truism. He alluded to how stock feed made from traditional grains given to poultry can massively improve egg quality.
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