Elita Chikwati, Harare Bureau
Farmers have appealed to Government to mobilise harvesting equipment to make the operation easier and reduce losses.

The farmers made the appeal during the tour of Command Wheat farms in Mashonaland East by Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday.

Acting President Mnangagwa was accompanied by Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, Dr Joseph Made, technical committee chairperson, Air Marshall Perence Shiri, Mashonaland East Minister of State, Retired Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri and permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Engineer Ringson Chitsiko among others.

The farmers complained that they were failing to grow crops such as soyabeans due to a shortage of combine harvesters.

Briefing people on the performance of Mashonaland East in wheat production, Provincial Crops and Livestock Production Officer, Mr Leonard Munamati said farmers in the province were doing well although they were faced with a shortage of equipment.

“The province has increased wheat production by 350 percent from 2 000 hectares last year to over 8 000 hectares this year. The challenge now is that we do not have combine harvesters and this may affect the harvesting of wheat crop. We also require driers especially for the next season to help us dry our crops,” he said.

Marondera farmer Mr Cephas Manda said due to shortage of combine harvesters, he could not continue growing soyabeans.

“I once grew soyabeans but due to lack of harvesting machinery, I incurred huge losses and could not continue,’ he said.

Acting President Mnangagwa said he would check on the availability of combine harvesters in the province to see how many could be added to assist farmers harvest their crops.

“We are buying combine harvesters to be used in summer. So far, we have replaced 86 combine harvesters countrywide. The programme of combine harvesters is implemented at provincial level and it is the Minister of State who sees how the districts can benefit from the machinery.

Acting President Mnangagwa said Government was also working on boosting irrigation facilities to ensure farmers continue to produce food even under drought conditions.

He said Government was aiming to ensure all water bodies were put to good use.

“The programme is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate. We have also sent people to Brazil and Belarus. Within three years we will have enough land under irrigation countrywide and bid farewell to hunger,” he said.