The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Business Reporter
Government has embarked on a mechanisation programme that will see farmers producing more traditional grains as their workload is lightened by the equipment.
This comes as Manicaland surpassed its traditional grains production target during the last farming season.
Chief Director in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Professor Obert Jiri revealed that while the province had targeted to put 100 207 hectares under traditional grains last year, it achieved 106 052ha.
In an interview with Post Business on the sidelines of a handover ceremony of threshing machines to Chimanimani villagers last week on Friday, Professor Jiri said Government has intensified the mechanisation programme to boost production of traditional grains in Manicaland’s areas that fall under Natural Regions Four and Five.
Prof Jiri handed over five threshing machines to Wards Three, Five, 18, 19 and 20.
Chipinge, Nyanga and Marange are also set to receive the equipment as Government work on ensuring that no one is left behind.
A thresher is a machine used in separating small grains from their chaff.
“We are very grateful that the hectarage of traditional grains improved in this area,” said Prof Jiri.
“This programme is in line with the country’s National Development Strategy (NDS1) which prioritises mechanisation of agricultural operations to improve production.
“The country’s economic blueprint is geared towards upscaling production of both livestock and crops. We should push these projects as we work towards attaining Vision 2030,” he said.
Prof Jiri said the country is moving towards food security and nutrition as evidenced by the targets that are being surpassed.
“The threshers that we are distributing are supposed to eliminate the drudgery for farmers. We want to see the farmers focusing more on production. As Government, we are facilitating the processing of traditional grains by distributing threshers, among other pieces of equipment.
“There is an emphasis on traditional grains because these regions are more at risk of climate change and more suitable for traditional grains. As a result, this coming season, we will see an increased thrust in the distribution of traditional grains to drier regions,” said Prof Jiri.
He said Government will distribute traditional grains like rapoko, sorghum, millet, etcetera, to Natural Regions Three, Four and Five.
Professor Jiri also said Rural Development 8:0 is also looking at upscaling production, adding that it will accelerate the attainment of Vision 2030 .
Rural Development 8.0 seeks to spur rural industrialisation and rural development, which will in turn contribute towards the attainment of Vision 2030.
In an interview, acting Chimanimani District Development Coordinator, Mr Tauona Nengomashato said mechaniaation will go a long way in increasing the production of traditional grains in the district.
Manicaland Provincial Agriculture, Advisory and Rural Development Services Director, Mrs Phillipa Rwambiwa said the mechanisation programme will boost the production of traditional grains.
“Traditional grains have a lot of labour in terms of processing after harvesting, so we are bringing in mechanisation to reduce the labour so that more farmers will be able to take up production of traditional grains.
“If they have machinery to process their crops, then it becomes easier for them to produce more. As Government, our thrust is to increase production,” she said.
