Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri ,Business Reporter
THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has said the harmonisation of agricultural research, education and extension was capacitating farmers with adequate knowledge and helping improve yields.
The Government through the Ministry has ensured that there exist strong linkages between the three departments (agricultural research, education and extension) in a bid to improve farmers’ productivity in cropping and livestock production.
In an interview, the Ministry’s Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS) Crop Production director, Mr Stancilae Tapererwa said a number of initiatives were being done to strengthen the linkages between the three.
“The linkages between agricultural research, extension and education are being strengthened with a lot of collaborative work taking place.
A number of initiatives are being carried out to ensure farmers get the optimum results from the three departments. These include artificial insemination at Matopos Research Institute which is then being taken to farmers by extension officers.
Farmers are also visiting institutions such as the Chibero Agricultural Centre of Excellence to learn about horticulture and field crop production among others,” he said.
He said capacity-building programmes for farmers were ongoing through physical farmer training, farmer field schools and master farmer training being conducted by agricultural extension officers. Mr Tapererwa said focus was on winter wheat production and preparing for summer cropping.
“Obviously the major focus is on the promotion of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, the principles and agroecological matching.
It is important to note that farmer training is also taking on board the concept of farming as a business. Farmers are being encouraged to take farming as a business and there is a module that they are being taught and examined,” he added.
He said on agro-ecological matching, farmers were being encouraged to grow crops that thrive in their respective regions. Mr Tapererwa said as a Ministry, they were advocating and pushing for the production of traditional grains especially in marginal areas.
“Maize can be grown in high rainfall areas and seed suppliers have been instructed to deliver inputs accordingly. Our extension officers are also receiving physical training and in-service training through robust online training programmes on good agronomic practices, migratory pest control and fish production among other key things.”
Zimbabwe continues to register significant milestones in agriculture, which is now poised to contribute 20 percent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), from the current 13 percent.
The gains achieved in agriculture are being driven by transformative policies such as the Livestock Recovery and Growth Plan, the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan, the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Strategy, and the Traditional Grains Development Strategy.
The Government launched the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy in 2020 to ensure household and national food security, including promotion of production and productivity.
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