The farmers’ information day held at the Vleeschboom FPSU premises in Vleeschboom village within the Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality in Sekhukhune District drew significant interest from rural maize farmers eager to learn and get advice from various experts in government and the private sector.
By Montsho Matlala
According to Kabelo Uoane, chairperson of the dryland maize farmers under the Vleeschboom Study Group, which enjoys mentorship by Grain SA’s Phahama Grain Phakama (PGP) development programme, farmers’ information days are crucial platforms where stakeholders in agriculture – such as farmers, mentors and technical experts – share and teach others techniques for achieving maximum yields.
“Electronic gadgets such as mobile phones and computers often need software upgrades to continue functioning efficiently. Similarly, farmers need farmers’ information days to upgrade their farming knowledge and skills. So farmers’ information days are our own software upgrades,” Uoane quipped.
Hot Dry Spells can Equal Poor Yields
Jerry Mthombothi, PGP’s regional manager based in Mbombela, took farmers on a tour of a maize field on the premises to observe maize varieties planted on 12 December last year.
Mthombothi advised farmer to ensure that their maize crops do not flower during mid-January because of hot dry spells.
“Hot dry spells disrupt the transportation of pollen to the silks or cause both the tassel and silks not to grow properly, resulting in no or little fertilisation. The bad results of hot dry spells are often poor yields,” said Mthombothi.
He said that dryland maize can grow with about 350mm of rainfall annually, but in Mbombela they receive up to 400mm, which results in higher yields.
Also read: Access to knowledge, technology and partnerships – Pannar farmers’ day turns maize trials into a masterclass in farm profitability
Littering Hazard
Kwena Manamela, agricultural extension officer attached to the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, cautioned attendees about littering agricultural fields.
“Please don’t throw plastics and food containers or any other objects into the maize fields or anywhere else. Dispose of waste only in the designated refuse containers. Littering damages our environment and mechanisation in our agricultural fields. Pollution is a health hazard to people, plants, animals and the soil,” Manamela said.
GM Seeds for Better Yields
William Mothapo, a sales representative at Bayer, took farmers through various maize cultivators on the maize field, which his company helped to plant on 12 December last year.
“There are different kinds of maize cultivars here, all planted on 12 December last year. Some maize stalks produce two or more cobs, which is a sign they [are enjoying] the care that you give them as farmers. Taking care of a maize field should be the same as raising children. In this field, maize plants that are looking dry are 7565 and those that are still greener are 7677BR. We also have 7673R, which is a refuge.”
Mothapo caused some keen interest among most attendees when he mentioned seeds that can protect themselves against pests such as fall armyworm and stalk borers.
Refuge maize is planted among pest-resistant varieties to become food for pests, thus helping to maintain pests’ susceptibility to pesticides, he explained.
“Our genetically engineered maize seed technology is so dynamic that you don’t need to hoe like we did in the olden days. We apply herbicides on the field and it will only kill weeds and leave the maize plants intact,” he said.
“The outcome of all these advances in the science of engineering maize genes is all about better yields and good harvests,” Mothapo added.
Daily Temperature Warnings for Farmers
Romeo Mphahlele, a disaster and risk management officer in the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, highlighted the importance of considering temperatures and weather conditions of the day before going out to work in the field.
“Checking the temperature of the day helps you as a farmer to plan accordingly so that you adapt well to the weather conditions. If, for instance, there is a warning that today’s weather conditions are hazardous to farming work, you should take it seriously and not expose yourself and workers to the dangers. You should also take precautionary measures to [keep your livestock and crops safe] where possible,” he advised.
Also read: Growing the next generation of farmers: Inside Ekurhuleni Agricultural College’s 5th annual Farmers’ Day
Concerns About Delays
Some maize farmers raised concerns about their main market, Blinkwater Mills, saying they often spend long hours in queues in Stoffberg before their grain is attended to. They also said some mill workers sometimes take a long time to come and collect maize from their homes.
Musa Mahlangu, on behalf of Blinkwater Mills, assured the affected farmers that their concerns were noted. “Our good relationships should keep growing by seasons and we definitely take your concerns genuinely,” Mahlangu reassured them.
Sweet Reeds and Vegetables
John Segokodi, who farms traditional sweet reeds or sugarcane on his permission to occupy (PTO) plot at Ga-Mabintane village using a donkey-drawn plough, attended the grain famers’ information day.
“I come here … selling sweet sugarcane and hope to get enough motivation to diversify into maize or beans production,” Segokodi told African Farming.
Helen Mafokwane, who sells vegetables she grows in her backyard at her Glen Cowie home, attended the farmers’ information day to reconnect with a childhood experience.
“As a little girl, I used to help my father plough the fields with an ox-drawn plough. Now, as I get older, I want to get involved in maize farming and hope I will be planting a seed for my children and their children to grow a generation of mixed farmers of grain and vegetables,” said Mafokwane.
Edward Mokete, a former potato farmer in Ga-Masemola village, now wants to try grain farming.
However, Mokete told the audience about his experience while in potato production: “For emerging or black farmers to succeed commercially, you need finance, transport and markets.”
Local Municipality to Help Grow Farming
Eric Mosoane, a member of the Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality mayoral committee, encouraged aspiring and subsistence farmers to continue knocking at the doors of various government departments for support in entering the world of farming.
“Young people should get on board as well. As the local municipality, we have the responsibility to develop the local economy, and farming is indisputably the cornerstone of every economy. The municipality is ready to offer support and guidance as far as possible,” Mosoane said.
Traditional Leader’s Climate Change Plea
Kgoshigadi Malegobe Maserumule, the traditional leader of Phokwane Royal Council, urged attendees not to let any of the experts who shared information on farming slip away.
“Keep every piece of information you have heard from these experts in your brains, and most importantly, cling to their jackets. Ask them to teach you the [strategies and methods to manage] farming practices under inclement weather conditions that result from climate change,” Maserumule stressed.
Also read: Moletjie farmers’ day showcases sorghum varieties for a changing climate
