CASSAVA FARMER IN HIGH PROFITS AMIDST HUNGER

By Prisca Kabwe

Following the poor rainfall received in the 2018-2019 farming season in some parts of the country, many farmers have feared having a critical shortage of food. This has necessitated distribution of relief food by government in regions such as Southern Province.

However, amidst the bad season, some few farmers can still lift up their heads and boast of being food secure and not in need of any relief food. How is that so?

This is a case of a 52 year old widow Jenipher Siamuswe of Lingamba village in Kazungula District who has been growing cassava since childhood.  Currently, Ms. Siamuswe has two (2) hectares of cassava crop grown under intercropping with other crops like maize and groundnuts in the main field of nine (9) hectares.

Ms. Siamus we has lived to testify to the benefits of crop diversification saying she is more than comfortable in this season where most of the maize she planted did not perform well due to consistent dry spells.

She has explained that the market for cassava is plenty as she sells from within and nearby villages and when she takes to the market in Livingstone district, fresh cassava is a hot cake which is sold at K240.00 per 50 kilogram bag of cassava tubers.

“In a single line of close to 300 meters  long , I am  able to harvest 26 by 50 kilogram  bags of cassava and able to raise about six thousand kwacha”, she said.

She confirmed that her household is spared from hunger as she is able to buy other needed food stuff and manage other basic needs from the sales of cassava.

Ms. Siamuswe said ever since her husband died in 2004 she has managed to raise four children by herself through growing and selling of cassava.

“Because of good profits in cassava, I have managed to take my first born daughter to nursing college and she is currently working at our local clinic in the village”, she said.

Many organizations have promoted growing of cassava in southern province but there has been low adoption of the crop by the farmers. According to 2018 -2019 crop forecast, only Choma district in southern province was captured with 31 hectares of area planted.

According to most farmers in Southern province, one of the factors that has contributed to low production of cassava in the region is fear of crop damage by livestock which are high in population.

Ms. Siamuswe shared her experience of how she has succeeded in the cultivation of cassava. She explained that she normally plants cassava in the main field after harvesting maize by mid-July/August.

Cassava cuttings are laid in a 45cm deep furrow and planted at that depth as a ridge using ox plow, then 4 to 6 cuttings of 1 meter long are systematically laid atone planting station. The rows are inter spaced at 8 to 12 meters while plant stations are interspaced at 5-7 meters. This kind of planting results into an average of 22 plants at one station, enabling a plentiful harvest of a 25kg bag per planting station.

She explained that she plants a late maturing local variety that takes two years for her to harvest, but every year by mid-July, the stems are cut at the base leaving tubers in the soil. The cuttings are also planted in the similar fashion earlier explained thereby expanding the field every year that comes and allowing her to have a ready to harvest crop every year.

Ms. Siamuswe observed that the act of cutting the stems at harvest time in July/August every year is a protective mechanism from crop damage by livestock which become stranded in dry season thereby straying into cassava fields.

She further added that deep planting in July and August protects the cassava stems from being eaten by the livestock like goats and cattle. It also ensures early planting of the crop so that by the onset of rains, efforts would be directed towards cultivation of other crops within the same cassava field.

Sheencouraged other farmers to embrace variety of crops and diversify their dietsto enrich their food list thereby curbing hunger in rural households.

“Cassavais a wonderful crop to grow because I don’t even apply fertilizer. I like it because we use it in many ways like   you get relish from the leaves, cassava flour from the tubers, and we prepare many snacks from the tubers.  Most people have not cherished cassava cropand not classified it as food no wonder some households do not have what to eat and are  surviving on wild fruits”, she said.

And ministry of agriculture Crops Husbandry Officer for Kazungula district Silvasy Shibulo, has encouraged farmers to adopt Cassava production to enhance food security in rural households.

Mr. Shibulo said cassava is a good crop which is normally rendered as a drought resistant crop due to its characteristic of remaining dormant in unfavorable conditions like dry spells, and reviving when conditions are good.

He further added that cassava crop assures families of food throughout the year because it can be harvested many times as it lasts long in the field.

Indeedin order to adapt to the effects of climate change such as poor rainfall, ruralhouseholds should implore various strategies among them crop diversification asmeans to survive. NAIS.

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