NOEL IYOMBWA writes
@SunZambian
A local farmer has observed that late land preparations and failure to conserve nature, are some of the main causes of Zambia’s dwindling crop yields.
Chicol Estates Limited director, Aron Chungu, told the Sun in an interview that though most farmers used certified seed, they still experienced low crop yields because they overlooked certain farming principals.
Mr Chungu identified early land preparation and the need to avoid burning of organic matters in the soil as some the key principles to promoting good crop production.
He said that achieving high crop yields was not only about applying certified seed and fertilizer, but ensuring that organic matters were ploughed back into the soil through conservation farming and avoiding the of burning land.
He said conservation of soil and nature, and practicing rotational farming could lead to high crop yields.
“There has been reduction of yields among farmers, some time back, a small scale farmer used to yield about three tonnes per hectare but now they can hardly get one ton per hectare,” he said.
“The questions that comes to mind is that, is it that they are not using certified seed and fertilizer, what is it that they’re not doing for them not be getting enough yields, this is when you realize that there are principals that farmers are overlooking,” Mr Chungu said.
He said that small scale farmers have access to ploughs and tractors but did not prepare their fields early and adequately so that when the rains start the fields are properly ready.
Mr Chungu said that early land preparation should be an ongoing exercise so that when rains come, the farmer is ready to plant.
