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All communal farmers will soon be required to venture into sunflower farming as it seeks to substitute U.S.$200 million worth of crude sunflower oil imports. The government has already started providing farmers with inputs to enable them to get involved in sunflower farming. This will ensure the country ceases imports of between 60,000 and 65,000 metric tonnes of crude sunflower oil from South Africa annually.
The sunflower is also useful for studying climate change because of its natural resilience. Already well-equipped to withstand drought, high salinity in soils and vastly variable ecosystems, the plant also requires little fertilizer.
Zimbabwean farmers have, in 2022 increased the planting of traditional crops as farmers diversify to boost food and nutrition security. The increase in production of the traditional grains has been promoted by the increase in demand producer prices.
Source: Allafrica.com