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Mr Denias Zaranyika

Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter—

Agricultural inputs suppliers and service providers registered a boom in business in the 2016/17 summer cropping season due to the increased demand following the introduction of Command Agriculture.

Seed houses, fertiliser manufacturers, fuel suppliers, agro chemicals suppliers and tillage service providers contracted under Command Agriculture, registered huge demand for their products/services as a result of the increase in the area put under maize.

Command Agriculture did not only benefit farmers through inputs, but some will get income for providing tillage services to their fellow farmers.

Some farmers hired out their tractors and implements to other beneficiaries of the programme thereby maximising on their income.

ZFC managing director, Dr Richard Dafana, on Wednesday confirmed that the scheme had resulted in an increase in the demand for fertiliser both basal and top dressing.

Dr Dafana could not give the statistics of the increase in demand, but said the sector had benefited immensely from Command Agriculture.

“During previous seasons, farmers have been experiencing funding challenges. The liquidity challenge affected uptake of fertiliser but demand peaked because of the programme. There has been a positive lift to demand for our products. Had it not been for the shortage of foreign currency, production levels could have been boosted.

“The major challenge is that the programme was a bit delayed and also foreign currency constraints have affected our capacity to meet the huge demand,” he said.

The Zimbabwe Seed Traders Association concurred with the fertiliser industry on the positive impact that had occurred in the agriculture industry due to the introduction of Command Agriculture.

ZTSA chairman Mr Denias Zaranyika, said Command Agriculture together with the Presidential Inputs Scheme had benefited the seed industry immensely.

“All seed houses participating in the schemes registered an increase in the uptake of their products. There was a lot of excitement and activity due to the introduction of Command Agriculture.

“Most farmers are now aware of the different seed varieties and their performances. The seed industry managed to deliver seed on time to all beneficiaries. Appropriate seed varieties were delivered to the proper agro ecological regions so that farmers can utilise the potential of their regions in terms of rainfall and soil type.

“Of the seed planted at correct moisture levels, excellent germination has been reported and what is left is to apply correct agronomy to see product to harvest,” he said.

Command Agriculture is a national programme occasioned by the declining trend in production and a steady increase in national food insecurity from an average of 12 percent in 2011 to as high as 42 percent in 2016 where as many as four million people are likely to be food insecure, according to the 2016 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Report.

Command Agriculture is aimed at raising maize production and reducing grain imports.

It aims to produce two million tonnes of maize on 400 000 hectares.

Most farmers contracted under the programme have expressed confidence that they will get a yield of five tonnes per hectare.

The scheme has been described as a success with Government expanding it to wheat and soya beans.