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May 2013 . Issue No. 1
September 2013 . Issue No. 5
In This Issue
Seasonal Forecast
Seed Situation Update
Fertilizer Situation Update
Pfumvudza
Agriculture Update
Articles drawn from presentations compiled by
the following organizations
FAO coordination activities, including the
publication of the ACIF Journal, are funded by
the following Donor Organizations
ACIF Journal is published monthly by FAO Zimbabwe For enquiries relating to this issue please call FAO Zimbabwe on +263 (04) 252021/3
Constance Oka ([email protected]); Caroline Hungwe ([email protected]) Ext 291
Next ACIF meeting
Date: 31 October 2013
Time: 9.00 am
Venue: Celebration Centre62 Swan Drive
Borrowdale
2
Seasonal Forecast– Meteorolgical Department Zimbabwe
By Lillian Mashawi - tel: (04) 778160 –[email protected]
October 2013 Price Watch (Harare Mbare Market)
Bucket of maize grain (17.5Kg): USD 7.00 Super White maize meal (10Kg): USD 7.00
Roller Meal (10Kg): USD 6.20 Big bundle of leafy vegetables USD 2.50
Understanding the Rainfall Season Forecast.
A seasonal forecast is a long range forecast produced with a
lead time of 3 months, indicating how much the season is
expected to depart from the ‘normal situation’. The rainfall
season is split into four seasons OND, NDJ, DFJ and JFM. The
main seasons being the OND and JFM.
The seasonal forecast for any region is given in terms of
possibilities of each of the categories; below normal (B),
Normal (N) and Above Normal (A) occurring. The category
with the highest percentage will be the expected forecast.
Normal rainfall (N): This is when an area receives between
75% and 125% of its long term average cumulative rainfall in a
sub-season (OND, NDJ, DJF or JFM).
Below normal (B): This is when an area receives below 75% of
its long term average for the sub-season. It is related with in-
creased risk of prolonged dry spells and subsequent crop failure
(Agricultural drought). It also calls for careful water-resource
management as dam-levels may go down (Hydrological
drought) thus affecting power-generation.
Above normal (A): This is when an area receives more than
125% of its long term mean for a particular sub-season. Above
normal rains usually trigger widespread flooding, nutrient leach-
ing, malaria, cholera, typhoid and other water-borne disease.
Global rainfall indicators
Sea Surface Temperatures SSTs– A warm ocean means that
there will be an increase in evaporation and a high likelihood
of high rainfall.
EL Nino which is associated with a negative Southern
Oscillation Index (SOI) is usually associated with poor rains.
LA nina is associated with a positive SOI and is often
associated with above normal rainfall.
OND 2013 Forecast Region 1 and 2 (Harare, much of Mashonaland East, Mashona-
land West, Mashonaland Central, north eastern parts of Mid-
lands, parts Manicaland and Matebeleland North) are expected
to receive normal to above normal rains. Regions 3
(Matebeleland South, Masvingo, the bulk of Midlands, the ex-
treme southern parts of Manicaland and extreme southern parts
of Mashonaland East) is expected to receive normal to above
normal rains.
JFM 2014 Forecast
Region 1 and 2 (Mashonaland Provinces, Harare, most of
Matebeleland North, northwest Matebeleland South, Bulawayo,
most of Manicaland, northern parts of Masvingo and northern
parts of Midlands): Normal to above normal rains are ex-
pected. Region 3 (Most of Masvingo, the extreme southern
parts of Manicaland, southeast Matebeleland South and the
southern parts of Midlands): Normal to below normal rains
are expected.
Mean Onset
The rainfall season is expected to begin before the end of
November for the bulk of the country.
NEWS
World Food Day is commemorated annually on 16 October. The 2013 theme is “Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security
and Nutrition.” A committee has been instituted to oversee the commemorations of World Food Day in Zimbabwe and is chaired
by the Ministry of Agriculture Mechanization and Irrigation Development.
One of the global activities to mark the day is the World Food Day International Poster Design competition. The competition is
open to all children from all countries world wide. For more information visit http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/worldfoodday/wfd-poster-contest/en.
OND Rainfall
outlook
3
The Zimbabwe Seed Traders Association (ZSTA) provided an
update on the seed situation in the country. The ZSTA which
is made up of 21 seed companies is responsible for coordinating
seed production and marketing in the country.
2011/12 season sales pattern
In the 2011/12 season 40,109 MT of maize seed were sold.
ZSTA indicated that over the years purchases by farmers have
been declining due to liquidity challenges and this is a major
cause of concern. In the 2011/12 season Government and
NGOs were the major buyers of seed (22,625 MT). The ZSTA
emphasised the need to improve farmers purchasing power.
Seed availability
Seed houses have a cumulative total of 56,174 MT of maize
seed in stock of which 52,052MT is hybrid maize seed and
4,122 MT are open pollinated maize varieties (Table 1). The
amount of seed available is sufficient to meet the national
maize requirement of 35,000– 40,000MT. Seed is available in
most districts around the country. Table 1 provides a breakdown
of the amount of seed available for various crops for the
2013/14 Agriculture season.
Seed Situation Update —Zimbabwe Seed Traders Association
By Walter Chingondora —tel: (04) 700655- [email protected]
Fertilizer Situation Update
By Justice Chamuka tel: 0772 146 989— [email protected]
The fertilizer industry provided an update on the fertilizer situ-
ation. Currently 23,000 MT of basal, 21,000 MT of top dress-
ing fertilizer and 3,000 MT are in stock. The industry projects
to produce about 250,000 MT of basal, 155,000 MT of top
dressing fertilizer and 43,000 MT of lime by February 2014.
However success hinges on the following:
Timing - various supply contracts must be in place before the
rainy season so as to reduce logistical challenges and enable
firms to source funds.
Funding– Clients must settle outstanding debts and affordable
credit must be made available.
Distribution Network In order to increase coverage of key agricultural areas, fertilizer
firms have set up company depots across the country. Distribu-
tion of fertilizers to company depots, stockists, retail chains
(OK, TM, Farm and City, GMB) and some agro-dealers has
commenced.
Challenges
The main challenges facing the industry are :
Liquidity problems because of high default rates and the
limited capacity of farmers to purchase inputs.
Low farmer productivity .
Dumping of cheap fertilizers into the country.
Raw material supply chain bottlenecks.
Poor performance of public utilities such as ZESA, NRZ
and municipality.
Maize Seed Small grain seed Pulse Seed
Hybrid OPV White sorghum
Pearl millet
Rapoko Groundnuts Sugar bean Soya bean
Cow Peas
52 052 4 122 540 45 18 210 1 415 6 650 420
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
Trade Govt&NGO
Total
17484 22625
40109
Am
ount
sol
d
Fig 1 Maize Seed Sales
Table1: 2013/14 Agriculture Season Seed Availability in Tonnes
Table 2: Projected Fertilizer Supply 2013/14 Season (000 Tonnes)
Fertilizer Type Stock Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Total
Compounds
Prod 23 28 28 28 28 135
Imports 10 5 5 5 25
Total 23 38 33 33 33 160
Blends Prod 30 30 30 90
Total Basal 23 38 63 63 63 250
Top Prod 21 10 10 10 10 10 10 81
Imports 22 42 5 5 74
Total Top dressing 21 32 10 52 15 15 10 155
Lime Prod 3 10 10 10 10 43
Totals 47 80 83 125 88 15 10 448
4
The Ministry of Agriculture Mechanization and Irrigation De-
velopment provided an update on the Government Agriculture
Input Support programme for the 2013/14 season and on the
CAADP implementation progress.
Government input scheme for the 2013/14 Season
The Government intends to provide free inputs (seed, fertilizer,
chemicals) to all communal farmers resettlement, small scale
and A1 farmers in the 2013/14 agricultural season. A2 farmers
will access funds through bank loans.
CAADP implementation progress.
Zimbabwe launched the CAADP programme in August 2009
at St Lucia Park in Harare .
The Stock-taking, Growth and Investment Analysis Exercise
(Gap Analysis) was conducted.
A draft compact outlining main agreements on policies,
strategies, priority areas, investment plans and levels for a
comprehensive development of the agricultural sector has
been shared with stakeholders in CAADP workshops for their
inputs before signing.
The Zimbabwe Agriculture Investment Plan (ZAIP) which is
a strategy blueprint that aligns investment in the agriculture
sector with the CAADP principles over a period of five years
was developed and a validation workshop was held in July
2013.
Outstanding CAADP processes
Signing of the COMPACT. This is expected to be done
before the end of the year.
Technical review of ZAIP by COMESA and Independent
experts.
Post Compact review.
Foundations for Farming presented on the Pfumvudza (New
Season) initiative. Pfumvudza is an approach to farming that
is based on key principles of conservation farming. To achieve
high yields all operations must be done on time, to a high stand-
ard, without wastage and with joy. Using the Pfumvudza input
pack it is possible to feed a family for a year from an invest-
ment of USD 50.
Pfumvudza Input package
Each input pack is
worth USD 25 and
contains 6kg of lime,
8kg of basal fertilizer,
1 kg of maize seed
and 8 kgs of Amoni-
um nitrate, size num-
ber 5 cup and size
number 8 cup for ap-
plying fertilizer.
Benefits of Pfumvudza
Using the Pfumvudza approach, farmers only need two input
packs of the Pfumvudza, a hoe and a small piece of land to
produce enough grain to feed a household for a year.
With 2 input packs a household can cultivate a 16m* 39m
piece of land intensively (fig 1). The premise for this, is that, it
is much easier to maintain a smaller plot at high standards than
a bigger one. Hence if small-scale farmers can concentrate their
efforts into small plots they are more likely to get higher yields.
In addition in times of drought farmers can water their plots and
reduce the effects of moisture stress. Cultivating small plots
will also reduce the amount of mulch required, which often is a
limiting factor.
Foundations for Farming is conducting free training on
Pfumvudza every Tuesday at Rest haven from 8am to 12pm
until the end of November
Pfumvudza– Foundations for Farming
By Darryl Edwards — tel: (0772 136 780) manica@foundationsfor farming.org
Agricultural Update– MAMID
By Collin Kabudura tel: (04) 790 358— [email protected]
Figure 1: Basin Spacing