The Government has applauded farmers for the strict adherence to conservation agriculture principles which is set to put the country on the pole position to attain a summer bumper harvest.

Agriculture Advisory and Rural Development Service (AARDS) chief director Professor Obert Jiri said farmers had been outstanding in adopting Pfumvudza principles which is critical in safeguarding food production.

The Government targeted 3.5 million households for this year's the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme to ensure that small-scale farmers are food secure.

"So far under Pfumvudza we have planted 294 029 hectares for maize and we are expecting a yield of about one and half tonne per hectare," said Professor Jiri.

The climate proofed smart agriculture is an initiative of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development's green revolution agenda that seeks to build on capacity of the country's food systems to withstand the effects of climate change.

"The Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme represents the piloting of conservation a switch in the way agriculture is practiced in the country towards more sustainable methods," he said.

"The Pfumvudza/Intwasa practice maintains the principle of using less to produce more. This reduces the cost of production that may affect food production," said Prof Jiri.

Furthermore, the adherence of Pfumvudza principles is important in safeguarding and ensuring production continuity even under climate change conditions.

Recently the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr Anxious Masuka said there was need to learn and adjust.

"The time is ripe for our farming systems to transition to precision agriculture but we need to start at micro level, at household level. The Pfumvudza programme is packaged in a way that addresses the dictates of precision agriculture at this level," he said.