The Agrarian Feminine Touch
SUNDAY MAIL REPORTER
Phides Mazhawidza
The Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust was established in 2006 to interrogate how the land reform programme was benefiting women and to facilitate efficient and effective land utilisation in order to produce enough food for the nation.
More than 200 members from the Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust have been short listed to benefit from the recently launched command farming scheme that seeks to ensure national food security.
In total, 2000 farmers are going to benefit from the programme.
Using the focused approach, identified farmers will be provided with inputs, irrigation and mechanised equipment to increase maize production.
Women contribute a lot towards national food security, hence their inclusion in the programme.
The Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust was established in 2006 to interrogate how the land reform programme was benefiting women and to facilitate efficient and effective land utilisation in order to produce enough food for the nation.
The target is to acquire markets and funding for the country’s agricultural products.
In 2006, around 1423 women had been allocated land; 18 percent of those beneficiaries were A1 farmers, 12 percent were A2 and the rest were communal farmers.
Later on, more women ventured into farming.
The Trust’s members, who are raring to go, have been very production on their land. Some of them have been growing small grains in drought stricken areas.
A dairy farming project is being rolled out for the farmers. So far, more than 10 dairy farmers from the Trust are contracted by Nestle.
While over the years, most of the Trust’s farmers have been practising horticulture, more are now venturing into tobacco farming as it has a ready market.
In order to solve the funding problem, some of the farmers are contracted to companies like Cairns,Windmill and SeedCo.
The Trust negotiates contracts for its farmers in order to get better deals. There is need for good partnerships so that farmers can produce commercially and benefit from it.
Government’s policy which looks at partnerships in agriculture is commendable.
Due to climate change, we have been experiencing severe changes for the last five seasons.
The good thing is that most farmers now know the dynamics of the summer cropping seasons such that they are now more prepared than ever.
All along we used to plant in October, we then shifted to November.
During the last season, those who planted in November did not do so well but those who managed to plant in mid-December did exceptionally well.
A study carried out by the Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust in 2012 established that only 12 percent of the women in farming were doing well.
Those with immovable property are at an advantage because they can borrow money from financial institutions while those who do not have any collateral are not reaching high productive levels due to financial constraints.
However, despite having inadequate resources, 78 percent of A1 female farmers are doing a good job at their farms.
Sadly, most A2 farmers are still living in urban areas and have less time to concentrate on their land. Most of them are professionals in various fields other than farming.
To become more productive, they rely more on hired qualified personnel.
These, of course, come expensive and must be paid timeously so that they can work harder.
In contrast, most A1 farmers have received training from Agritex officers and therefore can do many things on their own.
However, the farmers need to be educated more on agricultural loan facilities so that they do not abuse them.
Farming is an industry, one performs better after training.
Female farmers are urged to acquire proper management skills, they should keep all records and have knowledge of farm equipment.
One must know how a tractor works, what seed they require, their type of soil, how to sow the maize seeds, among other such crucial information.
The Trust’s members have already been linked to various agriculture extension officers across the country to equip them with farming knowledge.
Between 2012 and 2014, a number of workshops were held to develop the female farmers’ skills.
Zimbabwe can bring back its glory in farming. It is high time we show the world that we are capable of doing just that.
The command agriculture programme will surely ensure food security.
Phides Mazhawidza is president of Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust
Phides Mazhawidza
The Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust was established in 2006 to interrogate how the land reform programme was benefiting women and to facilitate efficient and effective land utilisation in order to produce enough food for the nation.
More than 200 members from the Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust have been short listed to benefit from the recently launched command farming scheme that seeks to ensure national food security.
In total, 2000 farmers are going to benefit from the programme.
Using the focused approach, identified farmers will be provided with inputs, irrigation and mechanised equipment to increase maize production.
Women contribute a lot towards national food security, hence their inclusion in the programme.
The Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust was established in 2006 to interrogate how the land reform programme was benefiting women and to facilitate efficient and effective land utilisation in order to produce enough food for the nation.
The target is to acquire markets and funding for the country’s agricultural products.
In 2006, around 1423 women had been allocated land; 18 percent of those beneficiaries were A1 farmers, 12 percent were A2 and the rest were communal farmers.
Later on, more women ventured into farming.
The Trust’s members, who are raring to go, have been very production on their land. Some of them have been growing small grains in drought stricken areas.
A dairy farming project is being rolled out for the farmers. So far, more than 10 dairy farmers from the Trust are contracted by Nestle.
While over the years, most of the Trust’s farmers have been practising horticulture, more are now venturing into tobacco farming as it has a ready market.
In order to solve the funding problem, some of the farmers are contracted to companies like Cairns,Windmill and SeedCo.
The Trust negotiates contracts for its farmers in order to get better deals. There is need for good partnerships so that farmers can produce commercially and benefit from it.
Government’s policy which looks at partnerships in agriculture is commendable.
Due to climate change, we have been experiencing severe changes for the last five seasons.
The good thing is that most farmers now know the dynamics of the summer cropping seasons such that they are now more prepared than ever.
All along we used to plant in October, we then shifted to November.
During the last season, those who planted in November did not do so well but those who managed to plant in mid-December did exceptionally well.
A study carried out by the Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust in 2012 established that only 12 percent of the women in farming were doing well.
Those with immovable property are at an advantage because they can borrow money from financial institutions while those who do not have any collateral are not reaching high productive levels due to financial constraints.
However, despite having inadequate resources, 78 percent of A1 female farmers are doing a good job at their farms.
Sadly, most A2 farmers are still living in urban areas and have less time to concentrate on their land. Most of them are professionals in various fields other than farming.
To become more productive, they rely more on hired qualified personnel.
These, of course, come expensive and must be paid timeously so that they can work harder.
In contrast, most A1 farmers have received training from Agritex officers and therefore can do many things on their own.
However, the farmers need to be educated more on agricultural loan facilities so that they do not abuse them.
Farming is an industry, one performs better after training.
Female farmers are urged to acquire proper management skills, they should keep all records and have knowledge of farm equipment.
One must know how a tractor works, what seed they require, their type of soil, how to sow the maize seeds, among other such crucial information.
The Trust’s members have already been linked to various agriculture extension officers across the country to equip them with farming knowledge.
Between 2012 and 2014, a number of workshops were held to develop the female farmers’ skills.
Zimbabwe can bring back its glory in farming. It is high time we show the world that we are capable of doing just that.
The command agriculture programme will surely ensure food security.
Phides Mazhawidza is president of Women Farmers Land and Agriculture Trust
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