As farmers prepare for the 2026/27 season, they are being urged to leave crop residues on their fields rather than burn them.
SeedCo Zambia Product Development Manager Katowando Chawinga said retaining stubble can create a natural mulch that helps soil hold moisture during periods of low rainfall.
For farmers, the issue is practical. Once crop residues are burned, the soil is left more exposed to heat and drying. Leaving the material on the field provides ground cover while it gradually breaks down.
The advice comes as farmers prepare for a season in which rainfall patterns and dry spells could put additional pressure on crops.
For smallholders, moisture conservation can be as important as rainfall itself. A field that receives rain but quickly loses that moisture can still face stress when the next rains are delayed.
The choice to leave residues behind is therefore more than a question of field clearing.
In a season of uncertain rainfall, what stays on the soil may matter almost as much as what falls from the sky.
