Maravi

(HERALD) Call to revisit farming practices

COMMENT - Africa and mankind do not need biotech, they need permaculture and organics. That is the only sustainable way to farm. 'Biotic and abiotic'? Anyway...

Call to revisit farming practices
Friday, 09 September 2011 02:00
Agriculture Reporter

GOVERNMENT needs to revisit its agricultural policies and perceptions on new technologies to boost production, agriculturist Dr Robbie Mupawose said recently.
Speaking at the 71st Zimbabwe Farmers Union Annual Congress in Harare yesterday, Dr Mupawose said local agriculture could not compete effectively in the region when it was exclusively relying on outdated technologies and farming methods.

He said technologies such as biotechnology should be integrated into current farming practices.

"Besides feeding the nation, if the agriculture sector is to economically empower the people, there is need for well-thought out strategies of harnessing science, technology and innovation to address the plethora of biotic and abiotic stresses that compromise productivity and competitiveness," said Dr Mupawose.

He said it was necessary to find ways of doing the farming business, particularly through new crop and livestock breeds, new ways of producing the products and of supporting production, value addition and marketing.

Dr Mupawose said biotechnology was not only a fascinating science, but also valuable in its applications to use by people and animals.

"We are now able to accelerate breeding and come up with varieties with quicker and better formulations," he said.

"Our scientists at the Research Council of Zimbabwe, SIRDC, Research and Specialist Services, Tobacco Research Board and universities have the capacity to lift us to greater heights."

Dr Mupawose said countries that embraced new methods of farming and technologies were registering phenomenal productivity and competitive gains.

"Given the fact that most of the finished products on our shelves are from South Africa, Zimbabwe is unknowingly subsidising South African farmers at the expense of its own," he said.

Dr Mupawose's comments come at a time when the country's production levels are yet to rise after going through a lean spell due to adverse weather and a bad economic patch.

Many countries are switching to genetic modification technology to beat the effects of global warming and high costs of production that cause a slump in yields.

Globally, last season, 148 million hectares of the world's crop land was put to GMO crops that included maize, cotton, soya beans and oilseed rape, while a total of 29 countries also produced GMOs last year.

South Africa, Zimbabwe's major trading partner has been producing GMOs since 1999 and last season alone, over 95 percent of their cotton and 70 percent of their maize and over 80 percent of their soya beans came from GMO crops.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, HARARE AGRICULTURAL SHOW, ROBBIE MUPAWASE

posted by MrK @ 2:21 PM