Efforts to mechanise agriculture hailed

success, Minister of Agri-culture, mechanisation and irrigation Development, Dr Joseph Made has said.
Speaking at the Seed-Co Bumper Harvest prize handover ceremony at St Theresa Mission in Rusape last Friday, Minister Made said such initiatives aimed at increasing food production.
“We welcome efforts by various stakeholders that assist farmers to achieve their best since it ensures the country achieves food self-sufficiency.
“Companies introduced big prizes that stimulate productivity in farming operations. Challenges of machinery, seed and fertilisers were previously experienced by beneficiaries of the agrarian land reform programmes thereby failing to utilise adequately their pieces of land,” Minister Made said.
He said the once experienced input shortages are now a thing of the past and companies that produce inputs have equally played a role.
“Persistent shortages of inputs like fertilisers and seeds are no longer the case since partnerships with some companies have made major strides in ensuring that food and seed production is ramped up.
Seed growers have increased their production levels of seed to about 50 000 tonnes for the next summer cropping season. This amount of seed alone is enough to plant 2 million hectares.
“If the hectarage is fully planted it will give the country two million tonnes of grain which is enough to feed the nation,” Minister Made said.
He said promotional programmes need to be launched to ensure farmers take full advantage of the current input availability so that they prepare on time for the next planting season.
He commended Seed-Co and Arex officers for various initiatives inclu-ding demonstration plots, field days and various competitions which he said encourages farmers to adopt effective modern farming techniques although there have been hindrances.
“Through these initiatives, we will see farmers in communal areas achie-ving maize yields of over 2 tonnes per hectare. Those in resettlement areas and other farming sectors would also get between 6 to 12 tonnes per hectare.
“The major limiting factor has been inadequate resources to enable AREX officers to reach as many farmers as possible. I am heartened that organisations like Seed-Co have realised their importance over the years and assisted them required motorbikes. Through such partnership Zimbabwe is set to grow and rebound on the recovery path. Farmers must have soils in their respective areas tested for salinity and have it limed,” Minister Made said.
Ten provincial farmers walked away with generators and their extension officers also walked away with motorbikes.
The national winner, Mr Lucian Mafara of Rusape won a New Holland TT55 tractor and a US$200 shopping voucher.
The first runner-up was Ms Naume Zimunya of Mutare who won a grinding mill, an electricity generator and a US$200 shopping voucher.
The second runner up was Mr Joseph Mpofu of Bulawayo who won a grinding mill.