Malapane Thamaga, an agricultural economist and ministerial representative of the Maize Trust, and farmer Keneilwe Raphesu, are our guests on this edition of Gather To Grow. They discuss successful maize planting in Mzansi, a crop that has proven to be reliable when it comes to food and agriculture.
Mechanisation is one of the most important inputs that every farmer needs to maximise production. It can be difficult for farmers to receive donated equipment from the government, says Thamage, because they must wait their turn.
“For the commercial guys, I have seen an App developed by Afgri, where they lend machines to farmers in agriculture. It operates more or less like Uber Eats. When you need the machine, you can check on the app.”
There are options for choosing dates and times to borrow these machines, showcasing its innovation. He adds that if you go to the communal areas, you will still be able to find drivers who will plant for you for a fee.
Planning and selection of maize irrigation
According to Raphesu, both planting with and without irrigation has its benefits and disadvantages.
“When we plant with irrigation; it can be done the modern or traditional way. The traditional way is done manually, whereby water is pulled out of the well or from the pump by the farm owner.
“From a modern perspective, we’ve got sprinklers and drip irrigations to pull water from dams or lakes,” she says.
She also notes the ongoing necessity of adhering to rights and obtaining water licences for specific types of irrigation.
Topics covered by the session’s experts include:
- The consequences for water permitting;
- Options for storing maize in silos; and
- Preparing the soil for planting maize.
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