Authur Masuka

My passion spans the interactions between climate, water, energy and the agrifood systems, as well as the interface between knowledge, science and policy.

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

@ngonika @bla_bidza Straight kubva paMurehwa apo chiremba kkk

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

@corporatefarmg1 Looks like Helicorvepa zea. Use Spinosad or any products containing active ingredients like Indoxacarb.

[Hasbulla💰 @MoneyHasbulla]

Monte Mungwala - Bapambu Farms, Southern province🇿🇲.
The prominent cattleman, through Zambeef’s support, has built houses & a car for his 21 year old daughter, whilst he has bought farms for himself. [1/2]

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

@WFPSomalia @WFP Indeed every grain matters for Somalia! Being a Low-Income Food-Deficit Country that has been devastated by a combination of crises: climate change, & the knock-on effects of conflict pushing 22% of the population, to high levels of acute food insecurity, the innovation is timely

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

MarketsandMarkets estimates that the AI in agriculture market will grow from USD 1.7 billion in 2023 to USD 4.7 billion by 2028. It's time to combine AI with big data analytics! Chatbots can provide real-time weather and extension. How do you feel about chatbots in agriculture?

[Wenceslous Nyamupfukudza @wenceslous7]

As per your request

WATERMELON GROWING TIPS🍉

1.deep plough with a tractor

2. Make planting stations of depth 20cm.

3. Put heaped shovel of well rotten manure of either cattle, poultry, pig or goat.

4. Put (60g) of Compound C on each planting station and mix with the manure and soil within the planting station

5. Put the soil to almost level of the planting hole.

6. Irrigate to field capacity on each planting hole. The following day plant 3 plants on each planting station

7. Do a light irrigation regularly until there's good germination. Check cutworm effect on young seedlings and if any, spray any one of the following insecticides:

Decis forte, chloroprifos, lambda. For me, l prefer decis forte since it is persistent in the soil compared to other insecticides. After 7days of seedlings emergence, remove one seedling per planting station leaving two seedlings per planting station.

8. 2weeks after germination, top dress with AN (34.5%N) cup 5 per plant not pagomba pagomba plus winstart (160g per 16 litre of clean water) or omni boost (300g per 16litre of clean water) for root development

9. At 4 https://t.co/T69zKCSoOq dress with Pottasium nitrate at cup 2 per plant plus start to apply winglow at 160g per knapsack or 16 litre of clean knapsack.

Winglow promotes vegetative cropping

At 5, 6, 7weeks start to apply winbloom at 160g of clear water or best broom from zfc. It promotes crop flowering

At week 6, apply cup 2 (2g), potassium nitrate.

At Week 8, apply calcium nitrate. During this crop stage- crop flowering, irrigate daily becaus crop water requirement increases.

10. Watermelon is very prone to attack by fruitflies hence there is need to spray the following insecticides:

1) thunder

2) Acetacure

3) Malathion 50EC

4) Nemesis

5) Cartap hydrochloride

NB: Rotate at three of the above insecticides at day 3-4 interval.

11. From a 2-leaf stage of the crop, spray Preventative fungicides in rotation:

1) copper oxychloride

2) bravo

3) mancozeb

This should be done on weekly basis on crop under drip irrigation

If the crop is under overhead irrigation, spray should be done on every 4-5 day interval

12. For curative fungicides, use at least one of the following:

1) chemlaxyl / ridomil gold

2) -tebuconazole / folicur

3) otiva

4) Bion

This should be done for every fortnight on crop under irrigation

If the crop is under overhead irrigation, apply for every week.

13. Spacing is 150 cm between the rows and 75cm from plant to plant

After practising these activities. You will be amazed with the results. Very big watermelons.!

I am assuring you to get 22kg per fruit with crimson sweet variety.

The agronomic practises and crop protection is similar for other cucurbits such as pumpkin kayla, Butternut Waltham Plus and cucumber.

At cucumber, spacing is 40cm x 100cm but placing one seed per planting station. This means that application rate per plant will be +30g of compound C.

Let’s grow better together

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

Over a quarter of a billion people are acutely food insecure and need food assistance in 48 food-crisis countries in 2023. It is the highest number in the GRFC's seven-year history. We have to intensify agriculture to save the world!

[Global Network Against Food Crises @fightfoodcrises]

In 48 countries, 21.6M more people face high levels of acute #foodinsecurity than in 2022, a 10% increase, bringing the number to 238M. Why? ⬇️

🔺A 16% expansion in analysis
🔺Conflict/insecurity, weather extremes & economic shocks

Learn More 🔗https://t.co/23T7Nty7Do

[National Kraal @NationalKraal]

Intensive pen fattening on a 4 hectare plot in Zimbabwe. With the right strategy, investment, skills, & consistency; a small piece of land can be extremely productive.

NOTE: All the animals are on zero grazing.
#penfattening #Zimbabwe

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

A simple and powerful infographic to learn about the different approaches to food and farming!

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

Following the pausing of the Black Sea Agreement, I think this is the perfect opportunity for Africa to break foreign dependence and learn to feed itself. Governments must make good the resolutions of the Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security. What’s your take?

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

Sometimes good genes are everything in farming!

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

Do you remember when you joined Twitter? I do! #MyTwitterAnniversary

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

@PhillipABS Families dry it and use it for several months. It's a delicacy especially with peanut butter

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

This gigantic mushroom is Termitomyces titanicus (chi-ngulu-ngulu). It is found in Zambia. It has a cap that reaches 1m in diameter on a stipe up to 57cm in length. It is the largest edible fungus in the world and is one of the many wonders of nature our continent has to offer.

[Jean Claude NIYOMUGABO @jcniyomugabo]

What is wrong with this maize ?

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

Without protecting and regenerating the soil on our 1.6 billion hectares of cultivated farmland, 3.2 billion ha of pastureland, and 4 billion ha of forest land, it will be impossible to feed the world, keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, or halt the loss of biodiversity.

[Demi Farms @demi_farm]

Collapsible Mobile Fish Tank / Pond

With this type of fish pond, there is no need to put up with high cost & all the inconveniences that come with concrete, earthen or plastic ponds.

This modern fish pond is durable and less expensive, but can be easily installed/ uninstalled.

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

Replace what is removed, respond wisely to what is altered, predict what alterations may occur through anthropogenic/natural perturbations, and adopt practices that restore and enhance soil health.

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

Iwe neni tine basa! This is 'how not to farm'! Crop abuse is real!

[Authur Masuka @authurmas]

https://t.co/xIUbv86sY8