Walter Nyamukondiwa Mashonaland West Bureau
Zimbabwe should expeditiously mechanise its agricultural sector to ensure maximum production on farms, a Government official has said.

It is believed that increased agricultural production is likely to reduce food prices and improve living standards.

Speaking at an Agricon Agricultural Equipment Demonstration Day at Lions’ Den on Friday last week, Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Webster Shamu said mechanisation was key to jump-starting the economy.

“To get maximum yield from agriculture, we have to go mechanical,” he said. “We must mechanise. The equipment that we see here is indispensable in the drive for greater farming efficiency.

“The economic destiny of Zimbabwe is in the hands of farmers and they must deliver. Each farmer has the ability to feed the nation.

“To succeed, we must focus on mechanisation, infrastructure development, irrigation equipment and appropriate soil treatment.”

To improve living standards, Minister Shamu said, there was need to boost production, which could only be possible through mechanisation.

He commended Agricon for providing heavy-duty agriculture equipment, including tractors of varying sizes, disc harrows, ploughs and combine harvesters.

“They have top-of-the-range equipment that ensures more is done in a short space of time,” said Minister Shamu. Of interest is the fact that they have spare parts in stock, unlike some suppliers where professionalism does not exist.”

Minister Shamu said farming should be treated like any other business.

Agricon chief executive officer Mr Faijul Materia said Zimbabwe needed to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of mechanisation.

“What we are lacking as a country at the moment is education and mechanisation,” he said. “You cannot have one without the other.

“We want our farmers to know that if we work every single farming operation, whether small or large, as a proper business, then our economy is going to change.”

Agricon is running a training school in Chinhoyi to teach farmers how they can run their farms profitably, including how they can manage and maintain farming equipment.

Last week’s event was attended by farmers from Mashonaland West, including 28 resettled farmers from Chegutu, who came to learn about mechanised farming techniques.