HAMUKALE CALLS FOR WINTER MAIZE CULTIVATION 

By Kalobwe Bwalya

AN Agricultural Specialist Edify Hamukale has advised farmers who are involved in irrigation farming to start planting the winter maize.

In an interview with The Scoop, Dr. Hamukale explained that winter production farming required total control of water supply for the maize to grow.

He stated that because of water scarcity during dry season, the method of irrigation was important for winter maize to grow and produce good yields.

He said during this drought period where Climate Change was taking a toll on almost the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, water dripping was a preferable irrigation system to grow crops.

He noted that overhead irrigation came with its own challenges ranging from wastage of the water resource to frost because of low temperatures as germination of any seed depended on moisture.

He said seed germination also depended on temperature which was most limiting factor in winter season because germination in winter season was determined by temperature and moisture.

“Farming in winter season is characterized by low germination because of low temperature in the soil so it is therefore important to plant as early as possible before the winter advances in order to produce good yields,” said Dr. Hamukale.

And Dr. Hamukale said the irrigation of winter intervals was about five days in order to avoid too much moisture in the soil which may lead to the damaging of plants.

He noted that with good management of the fields, farmers would be able to harvest over 7 tonnes of maize per hectare on average although yields could be higher in valley areas.

He explained that in valley areas temperatures were higher along the Zambezi Escarpment which included Sinazongwe, Siavonga, Nyimba, and parts of Petauke District.