A Guide to Conservation Agriculture in Zimbabwe - Canadian ...

Promoting Conservation Agriculture Among Farmers
section TWO
Maria Musona is a 45 year old widow with four
dependants. She was able to nearly double her
harvest using conservation agriculture methods –
by planting early she increased her yield from five
50kg bags to eight 50kg bags and the cobs were
bigger too. She is now able to feed her family with
the food she grows.
She attributed this benefit to three key factors: firstly
her crops were not affected by the dry spells as the
basins conserved whatever rain fell. Secondly, she
did not waste manure because she applied it directly
to each planting station. Thirdly, her crops were not
affected by witch weed because they matured early.
She plans to expand the area under maize because
she knows she can improve her yields with
conservation agriculture even in poor seasons. She
wants to experiment with pumpkins, water melons
and cucumbers too.
HIV and AIDS
HIV and AIDS have had a devastating effect on farming
communities in Zimbabwe over the past 20 years. Many
of the most productive members of families have died or
fallen ill, leaving the children and the elderly who would
normally depend on these adults to take responsibility
for farming and their sick relatives. This double burden
starts a cycle of food insecurity and loss of income. Much
time may be spent by women, girl children and the elderly
looking after the sick, which they would normally spend
on farming activities. As a result these household
members can only cultivate smaller plots and grow a
smaller range of crops. They may not be able afford to
plough, so they plant late and fail to buy inputs and to
weed their fields. Their harvest is small so their diet is poor
and they go hungry, so they become even less productive
and fall ill more often. Unable to grow enough to feed
themselves, and beset by medical bills and funeral
expenses, desperate families are forced to sell what they
have. They sell farm implements, draught animals and
land to raise money, and they may move to an urban area
or another country. They have less to invest in their farms.
Relatives of the deceased may seize the family’s property,
leaving widows and orphans destitute. The survivors –
orphans, the elderly, and women – may lack the right
skills to use equipment, so it falls into disrepair. They may
find it particularly difficult to get credit or extension advice.
Many communities have traditional ways of supporting
vulnerable people. But these customs may be stretched
to breaking point by the large numbers of illnesses and
deaths.
Conservation agriculture can help overcome some of
these problems:
• Labour for land preparation can be spread out over
time.
• Improved household food security can be achieved
through increased yields.
• Improved nutrition through diversification of crops
including intercrops and cover crops high in protein
and vitamins.
• Including legumes in rotations brings in flexibility in
utilisation, ranging from green mature pods or fresh
groundnuts to processed products such as peanut
butter. Peanut butter can increase the palatability of
various foods including boiled snacks, bread, relish
and porridge.
• Increased household income through sales of surplus
can help pay for extra labour should it be needed.
• Once started, conservation agriculture becomes less
labour intensive, allowing the sick the elderly, the
disabled and the children to practice it without having
to worry about sources or means of labour.
Farming for the Future
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