It is often difficult to find viable smallholder crops suited to regions of low rainfall such as Gokwe South and Nkayi. More so Nkayi which is located almost entirely within agro-ecological region IV; characterized by semi-extensive farming, low total rainfall (450-600 mm), periodic seasonal droughts and severe dry spells during the rainy season. Historically, cotton has been the only cash crop that farmers have experienced in these districts, however many have abandoned it during the past 5 years due to low prices and non-viability. APT has been promoting sesame over the past three years as a cash crop in these marginal areas, firstly in Gokwe South (since 2014) and now for the first season in Nkayi. As in all its work, APT starts with the market, which in the case of sesame is IETC, a subsidiary of the Export Trading Group (ETG), one of the world’s largest traders in the commodity. The crop performed relatively well in Gokwe South during the 2015/16 El Niño induced drought, the worst in 35 years which resulted in widespread failure of many crops and regional food insecurity.

The current 2016/17 summer cropping season has been a very different weather experience to the normal situation, with heavy rains having fallen since December. The crop has struggled in two main ways – firstly, the small seeds are very easily washed away if exposed to heavy rains; and secondly, continuous rains have caused widespread water-logging. The wet conditions have also encouraged the spread of leaf disease throughout Gokwe South and Nkayi. Leaf roller (Antigastra catalaunalis) has also been a major challenge this season, with the company distributing chemical for control. For farmers who did not get chemical from the company, access is a challenge. In the more remote areas there are no easily accessible shops; when farmers do have local shops, chemicals are generally expensive. Aphids, not as widespread, have affected a smaller number of fields.

During a recent tour, undertaken 6-9 March, it was great to interact with farmers in Gokwe South and Nkayi, where IETC is contracting farmers to grow sesame for the second and first seasons, respectively; and to understand how they are coping with the inclement weather conditions. This article presents a few of the farmers and relates their stories so far this season.

Anyway Musiiwa experimented with sesame for the first time in the 2015/16 season, growing 50 lines of the crop (about a third of a hectare) which produced 23 buckets (about 300 kg) which he sold for over $200. This year he expanding production to 3 ha, having planted 1.0 ha each on 20, 24 and 28 January. Germination of earlier plantings done in December failed. The 5-6 week old crop had germinated with an estimated 70% stand and was growing well. A leaf roller outbreak had been satisfactorily controlled. Anyway was also growing cotton which was not faring well; the crop had also experienced low germination and boll formation was poor. Anyway is group leader of the ‘Halfway Kondo’ group, which comprises over 60 farmers, many of whom are first time sesame producers who were encouraged by his success in the previous season. In many cases germination of early planted crops had failed and planting was done late in January. Two exceptions are Regina Matanga and Peter Hlupo, both first year growers who successfully planted 1 ha in early December. Both crops were at flowering stage and showed good yield potential. Farmers reported that the sesame is easy to manage, and that outbreaks of leaf roller and aphids had been satisfactorily controlled.

Introduction of the crop to Nkayi farmers started off on 27 October 2017 with a centralized Training of Trainers (TOT) event delivered by IETC to Agritex (government extension staff) and lead farmers; these agents in turn sensitized and trained farmers throughout the district on sesame production. There are two strategies under which sesame is being introduced into Nkayi – firstly, via demonstrations in all 30 wards (two demonstrations per ward); and secondly, through commercial seed sales to about 200 commercially-minded ‘innovator’ farmers, keen to experiment with a new cash crop.

Mlamuli Nkiwane (Nkayi Ward 5) is trying sesame for the first time. He has no other cash crop, having abandoned cotton three years previously due to low prices and non-viability. He planted his third-hectare field on 26 December and by 8 March the crop was at early flowering stage and looking promising, despite the presence of leaf disease. Mlamuli heard about sesame through the MELANA programme and received information from an insert in the seed pack, Agritex, and lead farmers. His farm is very remote, more so because the road network is so poor; a 32 km one-way trip by bicycle or scotch cart to Nesigwe Business Centre takes 2-hours. Mlamuli purchased fertilizer (rate of 50 kg/ha) from other farmers and used crop chemicals (to control leaf roller) left over from previous seasons.  Labour was hired to assist with weeding. Mlamuli has a conservative outlook on the crop, and is waiting to see how the season progresses and the financial benefit, before coming to any conclusions.

Anna Mutsvedu (Nkayi Ward 4) is raising her three grandchildren by herself. She has never grown a cash crop, instead raising income through local sales of any food crops that may have been produced in excess. A case in point is the previous year’s groundnut harvest for which which she produced 36 x 50 kg bags which were sold locally – she complained that there were no other markets.  Other crops that Anna grows include groundnuts, cowpeas, Bambara and maize. Anna split her 1 kg sesame seed pack into three plantings. The first planting failed, and she did not pay adequate attention to the second. However, the third planting (23 January) was at vegetative stage, through a little uneven. Anna is an innovator, expressing her opinion that the recommended plant spacing was too close in her heavy textured soils, and suggesting that dry planting of sesame (a practice that she once adhered to when she stayed Mashonaland Central) could improve germination. Anna used manure on her crop and leaf roller was controlled using crop chemicals left over from a previous year. She commented that her plot is attracting good interest from local farmers and suggested that the company should hold a field day.

Although, it is not an easy year for sesame producers, the general mood is one of optimism and perseverance. The crop has taken hold in Gokwe where an estimated 9,903 ha is being produced this 2016/17 season. Time will tell if it takes off in the same way in Nkayi; of course, the catalyst will be this year’s farmers making money.