Chia Training Workshop at Boka Auction Floors Agriculture by Regina Pasipanodya - February 20, 2020February 20, 20200 Mr Banda demostrating to farmers how Chia crop should be managed for high yields
Irrigation Masters launch mega deals in drip irrigation systems Agriculture by Regina Pasipanodya - January 15, 2020January 15, 20200 Irrigation Masters introduces mega deals in designing, supplying and installations of all irrigation systems in Zimbabwe. Their services include drip irrigation, overhead irrigation, green houses, seed bed irrigation, lawn irrigation and their rates are the lowest in the country. Speaking to The Soil, Irrigation Masters Marketing manager Daniel Madzimbamuto said the company been providing the best irrigation solutions in the country since 2015 and he assured the customer satisfaction in all the packages in irrigation systems. " We have a skilled manpower with the knowledge in irrigation systems", said Madzimbamuto Irrigation Masters products in pictures;
How to prevent nematodes in vegetable plants. Agriculture Horticulture by Regina Pasipanodya - December 11, 2019December 11, 20190 What are Nematodes? A nematode is a worm of the large phylum Nematoda, often referred to as roundworms. Nematodes are not closely related to true worms, they are multicellular insects with smooth, unsegmented bodies. The nematode species that feed on plants are so tiny that a farmer need a microscope to see them. They occur as parasites in animals and plants or as free-living forms in soil, fresh water, marine environments, and even such unusual places as vinegar, beer malts, and water-filled cracks deep within Earth’s crust. Because of its size, it would be difficult for farmers to identify worms and let alone cure them. Nematodes worms live in the soil and can cause great damage to the roots of the
AgriBusiness: Farming is a Business, Nothing is impossible Agriculture by Regina Pasipanodya - December 11, 2019December 11, 20190 If you’re going to make this farming thing work, you have to start taking it seriously. Young farmers, eager to get their hands wet (or dirty, as the case may be), often overlook one simple thing about starting a farm: It’s not just a farm; it’s a business. A farm has, in essence, all the same parts and pieces that almost any other business has. Knowing those parts and pieces—adopting them and putting them in place early—as boring as it sounds, can actually make farming more enjoyable in the long run. If there is anything I wish I knew when I was younger, it is that. Whether you’re growing vegetables or raising hogs, it is good to understand all that goes into
What is Chia? Agriculture by Regina Pasipanodya - December 6, 2019December 6, 20190 By Regina Pasipanodya Chia seeds have become one of the most popular crops in the health community. The crop comes from a species of flowering plant in the mint family and they are native to areas of Mexico and Guatemala but are commonly cultivated in many areas in North and South America. It has been noted that these tasty seeds are easy to digest when prepared properly and can be a very versatile ingredient that works well in a variety of recipes. Chia offers a long list of important nutrients, including fibre, protein, manganese and calcium, along with plenty of antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids. Benefits of Chia product Support Healthy Skin Chia seeds are jam-packed with antioxidants, accounting for the powerful
Advice: Plant short season varieties, 2019/20 Agriculture News by Regina Pasipanodya - December 3, 20190 By Regina Pasipanodya Farmers in Zimbabwe are urged to plant short season seed varieties and embrace conservation agriculture which preserves soil moisture as the 2019/20 seasonal rain forecast points short season with heavy rains. The 2019/20 seasonal rainfall forecast presented the Meteorology Department last week revealed that the season will be short, and the rains are expected a little bit late and urged farmers to plan adequately and make informed decisions. “Farmers need to prepare in order to survive this challenge because there will be too much water in a very short period of time soil water recharge and as such, they need to buy seed varieties that are drought tolerant. “In regions that used to grow long season seed varieties they need to
Advantages of Using a Greenhouse over an Open Field Agriculture by Regina Pasipanodya - November 12, 2019November 12, 20190 By Regina Pasipanodya Greenhouse growing and open field growing have their advantages and disadvantages. It has been noted that Greenhouse Growing provides the opportunity to maintain an ideal, consistent growing environment (controlled in terms of temperature and humidity and so forth). It also protects plants from harsh weather and wind and extends growing seasons for higher crop yields Many young farmers always lugging with the idea of starting farming using a Greenhouse method. The main question being which route should they take, ‘the greenhouse way or the open field?’ Traditionally, farmers have been used to using open fields for farming citing different advantages such as enough sunlight and availability of fresh oxygen. However, recently due to innovation it has been noted that the
Tokwe-Mukosi Dam to boost sugar-cane production Agriculture News by Regina Pasipanodya - November 5, 2019November 5, 20190 by Regina Pasipanodya ZIMBABWE has a huge potential for sugar-cane production, a senior official has said, adding the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam provides the industry with new water resources that should increase land under irrigated sugarcane by between 17 000 and 25 000 hectares. “This opportunity has the potential to increase cane production by a further 1,7 and 2,5 million tonnes for processing into sugar for export, ethanol for fuel blending or industrial applications for stock feed production and electricity generation,” Zimbabwe Sugar Association chairman Mr. Muchadeyi Masunda said. Mr. Masunda was addressing a conference on sugar and ethanol in Harare last week. The US$300 million Tokwe-Mukosi Dam is the largest inland dam and was completed in 2016 with a capacity of 1,8 billion cubic metres,
New terms for funding on Command agric Agriculture News by Regina Pasipanodya - November 5, 2019November 5, 20190 by Regina Pasipanodya The Government of Zimbabwe has introduced new funding conditions for Command Agriculture that require farmers to approach banks for support in grain production during the 2019-20 summer cropping season. According to the government, the move will help the farmers to boost production and do away with unscrupulous business people who used to abuse inputs under Command Agriculture. The government has entered into partnerships with Agribank, CBZ, Stanbic and Women’s Bank to manage and disburse funds for the programme. Image Credit: The Herald Zimbabwe These banks shall support A1, A2 and other large-scale farmers into soya-bean and maize production. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president Mr. Wonder Chabikwa yesterday said farmers welcomed the new conditions as Government has guaranteed the availability of the loans. He
Planting maize this season: organic method the way to go says Foundation For Farming Agriculture by Regina Pasipanodya - November 4, 2019November 4, 20190 Organic farming involves using techniques to achieve good crop yields without harming the natural environment. According to the Foundation for Farming using the organic method on maize production is the best way to use as farmers since it increases yield and reduces on cost. Methods and materials that organic farmers should use are: The best method to keep and build good soil structure and fertility farmers should use are: • recycled and composted crop wastes and animal manures • the right soil cultivation at the right time • crop-rotation • green manures and legumes • mulching on the soil surface It is stated in their training video that organic farming also involves careful use of water resources and good animal husbandry. Foundation For Farmers also stated that the best date