(HERALD) Agric sector welcomes load-shedding schedule
Agric sector welcomes load-shedding scheduleChinhoyi Bureau
STAKEHOLDERS in the agricultural sector, among them farmers and Agritex officials, have welcomed Zesa Holdings’ move to introduce a load-shedding schedule which they say would enhance productivity during this year’s winter wheat farming season. Farmers said the scheduling would make planning for irrigation purposes easier.
"This is what we have been calling on Zesa to do all along because last year we could have had a better yield were it not for the intermittent and unplanned load-shedding. As a farmer, I am confident that yields will be better this year," said a farmer in Zvimba.
Agritex has also hailed the power utility for providing the schedule on time, saying it would ensure farmers get the best yield if irrigation cycles are followed.
A senior Mashonaland West Agritex official said a stakeholders’ panel comprising the Department of Irrigation, farmers’ unions and Agritex, had been set up to assist farmers get the best out of the schedule provided by Zesa.
"We all know that the problem of electricity is not only peculiar to Zimbabwe, but is also a regional one and as such Zesa has done its best under the circumstances to provide the schedule on time," the official said. He said focus was now on ensuring high productivity from the land that has been prepared.
"The idea is not about how many hectares farmers have managed to put under the crop, but productivity and that is what we are encouraging farmers to do," the official said.
The Department of Irrigation will assess the irrigation equipment each farmer has and determine a hectarage that ensures optimum yield under the given load-shedding schedule.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, IRRIGATION, LOAD SHEDDING, ZIMBABWE
posted by MrK @ 4:36 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home