FARMERS WAIT A BIT BEFORE YOU START PLANTING, RAINFALL NOT ENOUGH – IKOSA

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FARMERS WAIT A BIT BEFORE YOU START PLANTING, RAINFALL NOT ENOUGH – IKOSA

By Brian Hantuba

Monze District Farmer’s Union Agribusiness Coordinator, Mwaanga Ikosa, has cautioned farmers not to begin planting their fields, saying the rainfall Monze is receiving is not enough to support the growth of rain fed crops.

Monze, among other districts in Southern Province, has in the last two weeks received considerable amounts of rainfall, making farmers wonder whether they should start sowing their fields.

But Ikosa tells Byta FM News that soils are still too hot to hold the moisture required to support the growth of seedlings, which he says can only germinate if supplemented with irrigation at this period.

He nonetheless says farmers can use the early rains for land preparation in readiness to begin cultivating their fields towards the end of November when rainfall is expected to be more consistent.

Elsewhere, Mwanza West Ward Councilor, Abel Hachambwa, has appealed to farmers to consider lending each other money to enable those with less resources make timely contributions towards the Farmer Input Support Program–FISP.

This is in view of delayed payment of some farmers by the Food Reserve Agency – FRA, which has made some of them complain of not having money to deposit under FISP.

But according to communication from the Monze District Agriculture Office, farmers may receive their payment from the FRA next week.

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