09 October 2009
Two maize fields stand side by side in Masvingo, south-eastern Zimbabwe. One is full of luscious green stalks just coming into flower while the plants in the other field are yellow and appear past their prime.
To an uneducated eye, the field of flowering green crops would appear to be the healthier of the two, but Elizabeth Musonza, who planted both of the fields, knows better.
“I planted one using conservation farming techniques,” she says. “It looks yellow and older because it’s already mature. On the other side is the maize that I planted the way I’ve always done - it’s green because it’s still maturing.”
Conservation farming involves leaves, wood chips and other organic materials being laid over the land to preserve soil fertility, helping to support future plant growth and increase crop yields. Elizabeth was taught about the method through a DFID programme aimed at securing the livelihoods of Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable people.
Guaranteed food
The last year has been a desperate one for farmers like Elizabeth. As a result of failed rains, a lack of agricultural supplies and disastrous government policies, Zimbabwe suffered its worst crop in 15 years. By March 2009 nearly half the population was in need of food aid.
The help that Elizabeth and thousands of others received – receiving seeds and fertilizer as well as training – has provided them with secure crops that offer a guaranteed source of food. Elizabeth knows that she can count on the maize grown through conservation methods, while the crops in her other field are still vulnerable to the elements. Too little or too much rain could damage them or make them fail altogether.
Although she was initially sceptical of the new farming method, which is why she planted her other field in the traditional way, there is no longer any doubt in Elizabeth’s mind about its effectiveness. In fact, she believes that this harvest could be a bumper one. “Next year,” she says with a smile, “I will use the conservation farming technique on all my land!”
Facts and stats
- Elizabeth was helped by DFID’s three-year (2008-11), £50 million Protracted Relief Programme (PRP).
- The PRP will reach over 2 million vulnerable people and involves 24 local and international NGO partners, including CARE International who provided Elizabeth with conservation farming training.
- Approximately 40,500 households in Zimbabwe are now practicing conservation farming, the majority of which have been supported through the PRP.
- Conservation farming has been shown to produce crop yields almost 60% higher than those produced by traditional farming methods.