adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The country’s leading seed producer, Seed Co, has embarked on a massive programme to enhance rural transformation through increased agriculture support to smallholder farmers, an official has said.
The organisation’s agronomy and extension services manager, Dr John Basera, said they were running a seed multiplier programme at selected irrigation schemes in the Matabeleland region.
These, he said, involved the production of sugar beans seed, mostly under irrigation.
He said they were rolling out a PPPP initiative which involves people (farmers), public (Government) and the private (development agencies) sector partnerships.
Dr Basera made the remarks last week during a field day held at Tongwe Irrigation Scheme, some 60km west of Beitbridge town, where Seed Co is supporting 75 plotholders with implements and seed to produce sugar bean seeds. “This is a programme whereby every player in the sugar bean value chain comes in to bridge a gap. This could be inputs, seed provision and working capital and even marketing related,” he said.
“So closing the gap from seed provision right up to the marketing level of the value chain. This is a set-up whereby we have development partners complementing the people and public’ efforts in boosting agriculture productivity.
“For example, we have Progress on board, they are coming in providing coordination between smallholder farmers and the seed company, which is Seed Co, and people will come in as farmers.
“You will note that farmers are a critical player in this value chain. So what we are doing is to support them with inputs right up to marketing stage of the value chain.”
He continued: “Today we are congregating the smallholders’ farmers and teaching them on issues to maximise productivity.
“Remember improving productivity is very key as far as rural transformation is concerned. Basically, what we want to see is a shift from subsistence to commercial farming”.
Dr Basera said a shift for the smallholder farmers from subsistence to commercial and growers level was very fundamental especially to the development of the rural economy.
He said 67 percent of the country’s population lived in the rural areas and that it was important to develop their economies from household to community level.
“If ever we get their development right, then we are able to get everything else right.
“These are issues around inclusive economic growth and are centred on developing the rural economy. What we want is the growth which starts with a farmer. We want to improve economies at household level.
“You will find that this programme is targeting to develop the rural farmer under irrigation, from subsistence to commercial farming. This is key to rural economic growth,” he said.
He said enhancing food security was one of the pillars of the envisaged Vision 2030.
The agronomist said the sugar bean seed production was being rolled out in Matabeleland region where climatic conditions were optimal even in winter.
He said in other places the seed would be affected by frost.
“For instance, at Tongwe Irrigation Scheme, we started with 14 hectares in 2018 and now we have increased to 27,4 hectares. The plot-holders here have the zeal and capacity to produce more under irrigation farming.
“Remember food security begins with seed security and sugar bean is a critical crop in our diet. We are targeting many players under irrigation farming, where there is coordination and teamwork,” he said.
Online Reporter