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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT has launched a farmer-focused national digital knowledge resources platform in line with the country’s thrust to promote the use of Information Communication Technology in the farming sector.
Dubbed the ZimAgriHub, ZimAgricExtension In-service Training App, and Lead Farmer Training Programme was virtually launched yesterday.
The digital knowledge platform was developed under the Zimbabwe Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation Services (ZAKIS) with support from the European Union (EU) and technical guidance from Welthungerhilfe Zimbabwe.
Speaking at the launch event, ZAKIS head of project Mr Waddilove Sansole noted Zimbabwe’s proud history and track record of agriculture research and agriculture training skills. He said these were spread across the region and the continent.
“ZimAgriHub presents an opportunity as our Virtual Agricultural Centre of Excellence to make all this knowledge available in a one stop shop.
“We are finalising the set-up of a special printer that can digitalise hard copy archives, we are also going to facilitate training of CLU members to enable them to use the printer to scan and curate hard copy archives, to strengthen the digital library,” said Mr Sansole.
It is believed that the platform will go a long way in supporting the Food System and Agriculture Transformation Strategy as it strengthens the pluralistic approach to extension.
President Mnangagwa last August launched the Food System and Transformation Strategy that seeks to achieve a US$8,2 billion agriculture economy by 2025.
The strategy is a composite plan of action drawn from the Agriculture Recovery and Livestock Growth Plans. Farmer training through the App will also enable capacity building for all farming clusters,
ICT4Ag is one of the many contributions of the ZAKIS project or consortium enabled by the funding of the European Union to the agriculture transformation agenda.
Mr Sansole said many countries in the region were grappling with strengthening of extension services, and Zimbabwe has just unlocked the power of digital for agriculture.
The Government believes that through the training App the country’s agricultural extension services would be cutting edge.
“With gadgets in the field, we will further reduce the farmer to extension officer ratio,” said Mr Sansole.
Given Zimbabwe’s excellent agriculture research and training skills, he said chances were high that one can come across a Zimbabwean leading national research programmes in the region.
“Chances are even higher that she or he is a product of one of the Government institutions like DR &SS, agricultural colleges, among others.
“Technology has allowed us to capture, curate and preserve this history. I worked with a colleague from Zambia once and she said to me ‘all I need is access to your archives in Zimbabwe, you are one of the best at process documentation’.”
– @okazunga
Online Reporter