Harare — Urban farmers have started land preparations for the 2010 summer cropping season.

Yesterday urban farmers were busy clearing land, digging and harrowing crop residues as the season draws near. In Sunningdale, Chitungwiza, Rugare and Belvedere among other areas, farmers were working on their small plots to be able to plant with the early rains. The farmers said they usually make planting holes after the land preparations and plant in October.

Some of the farmers now practice conservation farming. Mr Odiro Phiri of Mbare who has been farming in Belvedere for more than five years said every year he carrieds out land preparations early. "It pays to carry out land preparations early than to wait for the onset of the rainy season," he said.

The farmer, who is unemployed, said farming was his mainstay and he earned a living from it. "I do not buy green mealies or mealie meal because I am a producer. I sell part of my proceeds and get money for other needs, he said. Rugare farmer, Mrs Jane Munapi said she paid school fees for his son using proceeds from her small plots.

"I grow maize, sweetpotatoes and sugarbeans and always have enough on the table," she said. Mrs Munapi, however, said her major challenges were accessing seeds and fertilizers on time. She urged responsible authorities to consider urban farmers when mobilising and distributing farming resources. "We should also have programmes where we get seed and fertilizers even at subsidised prices," she said.

Mr Makaza Mupure of Rugare said farming was beneficial to most urban dwellers, as they did not have to worry about buying mealie meal. "I only buy those things I cannot grow. I sell a bag of maize and buy meat and sugar but if I had enough land I would have been producing more," he said.

The farmers, however, complained of thieves that usually steal the maize as green mealies and for sell elsewhere. "I still get enough for my family and relatives," he said.

Most farmers said they expected bumper harvest next season since normal to above rainfall have been predicted for the next farming season.