Farmers should continue planting their summer crops as the 2019-20 planting window is still open, Government and experts have advised.

They stressed the need to plant short-season varieties or traditional small grains and using moisture conservation techniques.

Irrigation is becoming increasingly important, but farmers need to use irrigation carefully to conserve limited water supplies.

Advice from agricultural extension officers on when to plant is vital and farmers should be ready to reduce plant populations and ridge to make full use of any available rains.

There had been concern over dry conditions countrywide, with some farmers who had not planted panicking and no longer certain if it was still viable to continue preparations for planting.

Those with germinated crops were worried their crops would wilt under the hot and dry conditions.

Isolated rains were received in some parts of the country yesterday, bringing relief to farmers in those areas.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri yesterday said farmers should continue planting.

“Climate change is adversely affecting agriculture. Irrigation becomes very important as it ensures household food security. If the dry conditions continue, we will have challenges with those who do not have irrigation,” he said.

He urged farmers to use irrigation responsibly. “Our rivers are drying up and we should use our water responsibly.”

From the onset of the rainy season, Minister Shiri, encouraged farmers to grow traditional grains, also known as small grains, which are more tolerant to dry conditions than maize.

“Those planting should continue planting traditional grains. This is the way of smart agriculture. We should promote smart agriculture; using what is available and look for better ways of boosting yields,”  he said.

The traditional grains are indigenous to Africa and over long periods of time have adapted to complex weather patterns experienced on the

Government was rehabilitating dysfunctional irrigation facilities to boost irrigation activities.

-State Media