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Ashton Mutyavaviri
COTTON farmers must embrace Government’s calls to modernise agricultural processes and mechanise their operations to pave the way for the smooth transition from traditional farming practices to climate smart agriculture, which helps improve efficiency and increase their yields in the process.
In an interview, Cotton Producers and Marketers Association (CPMA) chairperson Mr Stewart Mubonderi yesterday challenged farmers to embrace mechanisation and enhance their production capacity and increase the country’s food security.
“We are having outreach programmes to equip farmers with information and knowledge on mechanisation,” said Mr Mubonderi.
He said such meetings had since been held in areas like Mhangura, Hurungwe, Karoi and areas around Masvingo to educate on the positives of mechanising the agriculture sector.
He challenged Agritex officers to do their best in assisting farmers with the required information on the benefits of mechanisation in the agriculture sector across the country.
“To facilitate the wide spread adoption of mechanisation, our Agritex officers across the country will be offering training programmes to enhance farmers’ technical skills,” he added.
Mr Mubonderi explained that mechanisation presented an opportunity for farmers to enhance the quality and consistency of their produce.
He went on to say farmers must mechanise their agriculture practices as modern machinery allows for precise planting, fertilisation and irrigation leading to improved crop yields and reduced wastage of inputs.
Mechanisation enables farmers to adopt more advanced techniques such as data-driven decision making, which can help farmers optimise resources and minimise environmental impact on their enterprises, he explained.
“We have a borehole drilling company, which is helping farmers so that if the predicted El Nino comes they will be safe from its harsh effects. In Ward 13 Richmond, Mhangura, over 100 farmers have drilled boreholes at their farms and homesteads so that they can cushion their agricultural operations in the forecast normal to below normal season chances by,” Mr Mubonderi explained.
Farmers will also be assisted with small tractors through the Belarus mechanisation project.
Added Mr Mubonderi: “For a farmer to have access to those tractors, he or she must pay a deposit of US$500. The tractor costs US$3 500, which the farmer is expected to pay over a period of three years.”
He said a team from AFC Holdings would be working with farmers adding that it was already on the ground educating farmers on the importance of mechanisation.
“On Friday we have a meeting in Mhangura, which will highlight the importance of mechanisation in agriculture. By embracing mechanised farming techniques, farmers can streamline their operations, reduce manual labour requirements and achieve higher levels of productivity,” Mr Mubonderi explained.
Online Reporter