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*Matabeleland Farmers Advised To Prioritise Traditional Grains*

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A local agronomist, Davison Masendeke, has advised farmers in drought-prone areas to grow traditional grains such as millet, sorghum, and others in the 2022-2023 cropping season as they are more drought-tolerant compared to maize.

Weather forecasters have projected normal to above-normal rainfall for Zimbabwe in the current cropping season but its distribution pattern remains unknown.

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Masendeke said farmers should prioritise the growing of traditional grains as maize cannot withstand seasonal drought spells that are increasingly becoming common. He said:

> The importance of growing crops such as millet and sorghum is in that these are traditional grains.

> They (traditional grains) are drought resistant in that they originate in Africa and can withstand the climate of the continent.

> Secondly, rainfall patterns have changed unlike in the past when we would receive enough rain throughout the cropping season until crops such as maize would mature.

> Rainfall distribution is no longer predictable.

> The rainy season no longer begins at the usual time that we have always known, rains now delay a little bit.

> Again during the course of the season, we usually experience a dry spell.

> Crops such as maize cannot withstand a dry spell like sorghum which explains why farmers should prioritise such crops.

> During a dry spell, crops such as millet have a tendency of stopping growing and only resume after rains.

> The importance of growing such grains is in that they are able to withstand dry spells.

> We now have shorter rainy seasons meaning to say early maturing crops can give a farmer a better harvest.

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