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Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
Great Zimbabwe University’s Professor Munesu Shoko has challenged sugarcane farmers in Mkwasine to clear their clogged drainage system as more than 500 hectares of the crop are now succumbing to sodicity.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a field day organised by the Zimbabwe Sugarcane Development Association in Mkwasine, Prof Shoko said the poor drainage of water was costing sugarcane farmers heavily.

“This is the problem of water, the greatest enemy of cane is water,” he said. “If you leave cane for three years without water it will struggle, but if you let cane sit in water for three years it will not survive.”

Prof Shoko said the poor drainage system was costing farmers on anticipated yield per hectare.

“Farmers have to go through what we call water use efficiency module where they will learn about why we irrigate, when to irrigate and how we irrigate,” he said. “If you look here, there is no drainage, all the drains are filled up.