Agronomists reflect on challenges
It is imperative for crop farmers to understand their soil, what kind of nutrients they may be lacking, soil chemical risk levels, and when to plant seeds, says soil expert Dr Chris Schmidt.
STAFF REPORTER
WINDHOEK
The Agronomy Producers Association (APA) held its annual member meeting at Grootfontein recently.
The meeting served as a platform for producers to reflect on the previous year’s challenges and achievements and devise a plan of action for the year ahead.
The event was well attended by different role-players in the industry such as producers, the Namibia Agronomic Board, Agricultural Trade Forum, various input suppliers, millers and the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU) as the umbrella union.
The highlight was a presentation by soil expert Dr Chris Schmidt on soil fertilisation during and after a good rainy season. He gave an overview of how producers can enhance crop efficiency.
This was followed by a field visit with a demonstration of crop and soil analysis.
Improving yields
The presentation highlighted that crop yields are an essential aspect of every producer, impacting how profitable it can be.
According to the NAU, learning how to improve crop yields is key to successful farming.
“It is imperative for producers to understand their soil, what kind of nutrients they may be lacking, soil chemical risk levels, and when to plant seeds. All of this will positively affect the outcomes.”
The union says that the concept of high-performance agriculture is key in understanding the importance of crop yields.
“How much you can produce within a given amount of land is how efficient you are as a producer. In today’s economy, being able to do things efficiently is as important as ever.”
Although maximum crop yields are not the only determining factor of efficiency, it is the bottom line.
Schmidt mentioned other essential actions that producers need to take note of, such as measuring soil chemical status as comprehensively as possible, setting yield targets against historical data, incorporating microelements into the programme, using appropriate fertiliser blends and side-dressing or pre-planting.
The main sponsor of the event was Namib Mills, with co-sponsors Agra, Agrigro and Aqualand.
WINDHOEK
The Agronomy Producers Association (APA) held its annual member meeting at Grootfontein recently.
The meeting served as a platform for producers to reflect on the previous year’s challenges and achievements and devise a plan of action for the year ahead.
The event was well attended by different role-players in the industry such as producers, the Namibia Agronomic Board, Agricultural Trade Forum, various input suppliers, millers and the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU) as the umbrella union.
The highlight was a presentation by soil expert Dr Chris Schmidt on soil fertilisation during and after a good rainy season. He gave an overview of how producers can enhance crop efficiency.
This was followed by a field visit with a demonstration of crop and soil analysis.
Improving yields
The presentation highlighted that crop yields are an essential aspect of every producer, impacting how profitable it can be.
According to the NAU, learning how to improve crop yields is key to successful farming.
“It is imperative for producers to understand their soil, what kind of nutrients they may be lacking, soil chemical risk levels, and when to plant seeds. All of this will positively affect the outcomes.”
The union says that the concept of high-performance agriculture is key in understanding the importance of crop yields.
“How much you can produce within a given amount of land is how efficient you are as a producer. In today’s economy, being able to do things efficiently is as important as ever.”
Although maximum crop yields are not the only determining factor of efficiency, it is the bottom line.
Schmidt mentioned other essential actions that producers need to take note of, such as measuring soil chemical status as comprehensively as possible, setting yield targets against historical data, incorporating microelements into the programme, using appropriate fertiliser blends and side-dressing or pre-planting.
The main sponsor of the event was Namib Mills, with co-sponsors Agra, Agrigro and Aqualand.
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