This study aimed to develop an optimal land use plan for Long Croft farm (LCF) by assessing the available land resources. It evaluates the potential of the land resources for recommending optimum, sustainable and appropriate land utilisation in agriculture development. Possible ways in improving farming systems and more efficient utilization of the scarce available agricultural resources especially arable land were determined. The study used quantitative analytical approach in optimal land use allocation analysis. A total of thirty six structured questionnaires were used to gather data necessary for analysis. Every household at Long Croft farm was taken as a sampling unit and the area consisted of 36 A1 farmer households. The Linear programming model with an objective function that seeks to maximise net farm income subject to land, labour, capital and consumption constraints was run using Microsoft excel premium solver. The results of the study showed that A1 households are insecure with respect to their land holdings; they cannot use their land as collateral security which is affecting farmer access to credit. The households are also much constrained in land, labour, capital and consumption and as such their land allocation has been found to be not optimal. The LP (linear programming) model has depicted maize, soya beans and sugar beans for LCF when they are no factor markets. However introduction of factor markets (land and labour markets) and farmer performance groups depicted production of small grains and maize. The land reform programme promulgated by the government in 2000 should have focused on equitable right of use, optimising sustainable production, protection of natural resources/ environment against degradation and increase the effectiveness of economic growth of rural and urban population. Most of the fast track land reform developmental activities were done without proper resource surveying for optimum and sustainable resource utilization, especially land, hence great competition and losses of good agricultural uses to inefficient agricultural uses. Resource surveying, land evaluation and land use planning should be employed in Zimbabwe's agriculture to boast production.
The study was conducted in 2011 at Hamamavhaire and Mhende irrigation schemes in Chirumanzu district in Zimbabwe to determine the typology of the farmers using different irrigation technologies. A structured household survey was carried out on a sample of 79 respondents drawn from farmers using the sprinkler (n=32), flood (n=39) and drip (n=8) irrigation systems. The information gathered was analysed and interpreted using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics in the form of the chi-square test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The main findings showed that there are significant differences (P < 0.05) in yield per hectare (for green maize, maize-grain, wheat and sugar-beans) across the three irrigation systems. Farmers using sprinkler irrigation were found to be better-off in terms of livestock ownership and household assets compared to those using drip and flood irrigation. The study recommended that there is need to provide agricultural training to farmers in irrigation schemes to enhance their productivity.
Field trials were conducted during the 2019-2020 cropping season to assess the efficacy of S-metolachlor and flumetsulam (triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide)+S-metolachlor (chloro-acetanilide) pre-emergence herbicides in controlling weeds in maize at Chisumbanje estate. The experiment was laid out as a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three treatments and replicated thrice. Treatments used include hand weeding (control), S-metolachlor and flumetsulam (triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide)+S-metolachlor (chloro-acetanilide) herbicide. The data collected was based on weed density, plant height, maize grain yield indicating significant differences (p<0.05) amongst the treatments. Flumetsulam (triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide)+S-metolachlor (chloro-acetanilide) scored the least weed density per m-2 as compared to S-metolachlor showing that it is an effective pre-emergence herbicide (33, 27 and 22) on Mexican marigold (Tagetes minuta), shamva (Rottboellia cochinchinensis) grass and wild jute (Corchorous tridens) respectively. The control (hand weeding) scored the highest weed density per m-2, indicating that the method was not effective as compared to S-metolachlor and flumetsulam (triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide)+S-metolachlor (chloro-acetanilide) treatments. Flumetsulam (triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide)+S-metolachlor (chloro-acetanilide) scored the highest yield of 10 tonnes/hectare whilst S-metolachlor and control scored 7.6 and 5.6t/ha respectively. Herbicides reduced the weed spectrum in maize resulting in realisation of higher yield in flumetsulam (triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide) + S-metolachlor (chloro-acetanilide) experiment followed by S-metolachlor. Farmers are recommended to use flumetsulam (triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide)+S-metolachlor (chloro-acetanilide) as a pre-emergence herbicide in controlling weeds in maize so as to realise higher yields and low weed density.
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