Maravi

(THE HERALD) Ministry to train irrigation operators

Ministry to train irrigation operators
Herald Reporters

THE Ministry of Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation and Irrigation will soon embark on a countrywide training of irrigation operators in a bid to boost the country’s food security. The move follows a multi-billion-dollar intensive project to resuscitate all irrigation schemes in the country starting with irrigation equipment that was installed on A2 farms before moving to A1 and communal farmers.

Speaking at the official launch of training of operators for combine harvesters at the Institute of Agriculture Engineering, Mechanisation and Irrigation in Hatcliffe yesterday, Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation and Irrigation Minister Dr Joseph Made said the move was meant to increase the knowledge on the optimum use of irrigation facilities in the country.

"Government has seen it prudent to include training workshops for operators and users of irrigation systems in the country so that they could contribute meaningfully to the development of the agriculture sector.

"Proper use of the irrigation equipment and scheme will also help in saving foreign currency while enhancing importance of dry land agriculture.

The country’s small-holder farmers are also being considered for the mechanisation programmes, it is important that small-holder farmer’s produce from their irrigable plots.

"The development of farm mechanisation at all levels of farm operations, large or small, is the thrust of the ministry in contributing towards national economic development, achieving food security and the attainment of millennium development goals," he said.

He said the training programme would include the scheme at the farm level, group level, communal, A1 and A2 as well as small-scale farmers.

Government recently announced it would intensify irrigation rehabilitation programme starting with irrigation equipment that was installed on A2 farms before moving to A1 farms.

He said his ministry’s main aim was to rehabilitate all irrigation facilities that were lying idle across and that the owners and operators were given knowledge and skills to operate the equipment so as to prolong its lives.

Dr Made said the ongoing training programme involving the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Agricultural Distributors and Merchants Association would give the right skills to the operators so that they would look after the equipment properly.

"If the agricultural machinery and equipment is used properly, the country will generate foreign currency while achieving food security at the same time. If operators handle and maintain equipment we can reduce money spent on spares.

"Combine harvesters are sophisticated machinery and are very expensive to own, run and maintain. A conventional combine harvester costs at least five times more than a medium sized tractor. A combine harvester therefore requires more attention from the operator than a tractor. Modernising our agriculture sector is the only way the country can make that it benefits fully from the fruits of its struggle — land reform programme," he said.

Dr Made said the introduction of combine harvesters and other farming implements would help reduce the amount of labour and time required in the preparation and harvesting of crops.

"Harvesting demands a lot of labour because it is still manual. After harvesting, threshing and shelling are also hand operations that are time consuming," he said.

He said that every season crop losses are incurred due to inadequate harvesting capacity. Farmers lose an unacceptable percentage of the crop in the field due to lack of harvesting machinery.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, IRRIGATION, THE HERALD

posted by MrK @ 3:33 AM