Chronicle Editor
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
FARMING experts have praised the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat)’s intention of making Zimbabwe a research hub for Sub-Sahara African countries as a springboard towards enhancing the country’s agricultural sector and economic growth.
Matopos Research Institute head Mr Givious Sisito said the setting up of the regional research hub at the research station, situated in Matabeleland South would be a major step towards the growth of the country’s agricultural sector.
“I see it as a drive to make our agriculture grow and it has great impact on our GDP (Gross Domestic Product), that one I have no doubt, we can make headway. I’m very confident of this initiative. It’s like revitalising as certain aspects are already in existence so it’s like re-strengthening,” he said.
Icrisat director-general Dr Peter Carberry announced the organisation’s decision to come back into the country after having moved to Malawi and Ethiopia to establish regional centres at the height of the economic meltdown in the country during a meeting with President Mnangagwa last week. He said the organisation would utilise part of the US$30 million grant it received from Gates Foundation to re-modernise Matopos Research Institute into a world-class research institution.
Mr Sisito said the move by Icrisat would promote massive small grains production in the Matabeleland region and the country as a whole while also playing a huge part in improving food security.
“I see it (coming in of Icrisat) as a very good initiative because Icrisat is coming from an end of promoting the small grains, which are possibly the crops that can do well in this part of the drought-prone environment. In this side of the region (Matabeleland), our rainfall is very low and we have known and looked at it in previous and past researches. We are looking at this aspect to say how can our farmers produce enough that will curb food (shortages) issues and make sure that livelihoods are improved,” he said.
Mr Sisito said the setting up of the crop research hub was likely to make Matopos Research Institute a one-stop shop agricultural institution.
“For us if that development is clearly implemented we see Matopos being a one-stop shop where any farmer — a smallholder farmer, a commercial farmer, even people who are in research and scientists, even private businesses would now take that as an opportunity to come in and tap all the innovativeness that will be packaged and done here.
“For a start it’s a US$30 million investment but the moment that initiative is implemented it’s going to call in and attract a lot of funding because the moment we have a regional hub, it means anyone who wants to invest in agriculture, into research and development of both crops and livestock, it will mean the centre or the hub is the first port of call,” he said.
Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) board chairperson Mr Basil Nyabadza said the move by Icrisat was going to play a big part in improving the country’s small grains seed bank.
“We welcome the move and it’s a plus for Zimbabwe and the region. We hope that it will revive the seed bank of small grains especially sorghum, millet, groundnuts and sunflower. So it’s really a very important development and we thank Icrisat Zimbabwe for putting up a case for the region,” he said.
Mr Nyabadza said Arda would also complement Icrisat’s efforts by playing a part in seed production.
“We believe that we will, as Arda under the rural development, extend maximum support including irrigable land for multiplication of the seed and other technical assistance, which need water and land,” he said.
@DNsingo
Online Reporter