Andrew
Online Reporter
Government has launched the Zimbabwe Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (ZFAAS) to ensure farmers get accurate information on inputs.
The move comes after the mushrooming of advisory service providers that are in some instances giving contradictory advice to farmers.
Launching ZFAAS, chief director (human resources) in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Mr Godfrey Chijarira called for harmonisation and standardisation of information through converging all advisory workers from both private sector and public sector under one banner.
“We had a phase when people got duped of their hard-earned cash by crooks who came to the farmers lying that their one-litre liquid fertiliser can cover the whole field, but after doing so, farmers realised that they have been crooked.”
To prevent such experiences, ZFAAS will disseminate information through Agriculture Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS) officers (formerly known as Agritex officers).
“Farmers will benefit from well-informed and coordinated advisory services,” he said.
ZFAAS vice chairperson Mr Ivan Craig said agricultural extension is a vehicle for timely advice and modernising agriculture.
“With ZFAAS in place, farmers will now have easy access to crucial accurate information that they need in agricultural production so that they will not lose their cash to bogus inputs producers,” he said.
Online Reporter