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Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made recently said the majority of the land reform programme beneficiaries were included in that group.
“These lack the means to till the land, spray chemicals, harvest crops and transport for carrying inputs to farms and ferry produce to markets,” he said.
Minister Made said shortage of appropriately priced and user friendly tools, equipment and machines had resulted in increased costs of production, increased time of operations and high demand for labour. He said a number of companies were willing to provide appropriate solutions to mechanisation needs for the farmers.
“However, they supply mechanisation services, tools and equipment to motorised machines at a cost beyond the reach of the majority of the farmers resulting in low uptake,” he said.
The situation is further worsened by prevailing liquidity challenges the economy is going through.
Local financial institutions are limited to short term loans as opposed to long term funding required for capital assets of this nature.
Minister Made said ownership and use of hand tools, animal drawn implements and flood irrigation systems was high among communal areas, A1 and A2 farmers.
He said commercial farmers largely use motor powered implements such as disc ploughs, harrows and boom sprayers as well as irrigation systems.
“Farmers’ social status, type and value of physical assets owned often serve as collateral security and have a bearing on access to credit and funding,” he said.
It is estimated that there are 14 000 tractors operating and providing services in the country with the communal sector contributing 1 400, A1 1220, Small scale 560 and A2 farmers 10 920.
The situation could improve with the assistance from the public and financial sector. Farmers through farm savings can also acquire machinery but this will depend on the producer prices and time of payment while traders and processors may assist through contract farming.
Online Reporter