Bio-fertiliser training set to wean farmers from synthetic fertilisers

Farai Gumisai (38) works with PELUM Zimbabwe Member, TSURO Trust that trained 80 stakeholders to make Bokashi, an organic fertilizer to enrich soils. The training was held on 10 November 2020 in Nyanyadzi ward located approximately 25 kilometres from Birchenough bridge along Mutare and Masvingo highway under , Chimanimani district. Stakeholders trained were farmers from 5 wards, Agritex officers, e ward 8 councillor, the headman, village heads and the environmental health technician Photo: TSURO Trust

Bio-fertiliser trainings facilitated by PELUM Zimbabwe Member, Towards Sustainable Use of Resources Organisation (TSURO) Trust are equipping smallholder farmers with knowledge and skills to improve soil fertility.

Farai Gumisai (38), a programme officer working with TSURO Trust says bio-fertilisers do not disrupt natural processes in the soil but rather stimulate them. Unlike synthetic fertilisers, soil that is treated with bio-fertilisers over time stops needing any treatment once soil health is improved.

“The main idea behind bio-fertilisers is the reintroduction of microbes, minerals and organic matter. When we do that the soil becomes alive,” says Farai.

TSURO Trust has been offering the bio-fertiliser training since 2018 and have reached about 180 smallholder farmers in Chimanimani district, eastern Zimbabwe.

Peace Nyakazeya (48) is one of the farmers who received the training offered by TSURO Trust in 2019. She says after using Bokashi, a fermented organic fertiliser, she observed a stark difference in the quality of her crops.

“When compared to using compost, there is a clear difference. The maize crop on which I used Bokashi grows quickly and looks very healthy,” says Peace.

“The crop grown using Bokashi tastes much better than when using other fertilisers,” adds Sarah Kamhunga, a smallholder farmer who also received training from TSURO Trust.

Most of the raw materials needed to make Bokashi are locally available to farmers. For example when making Bokashi you need cereal husks, livestock manure, soil, bran, molasses, non chlorinated water, minerals rock dust or ashes and yeast.

However, farmers who have used Bokashi say the major challenge on gathering the required raw materials is the labour involved.

“The only challenge is that people can be lazy when it comes to gathering the raw materials needed to make it,” says Peace.

Farai says farmers need to prepare ahead of time, before the commencing of the rain season to avoid this challenge. He says using bio-fertilisers will help farmers to soil fertility especially in Chimanimani were the soils were degraded during cyclone Idai in March 2018.

“During cyclone idai most of the rich top soil was washed away. This means there is need to reintroduce minerals, microbiology and organic matter. Bokashi is one natural fertiliser which can supply these three components thereby enriching the soil, “says Farai.