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Collen Murahwa Herald Reporter—
Government is providing members of the uniformed forces with agricultural skills which will become handy upon their retirement, a senior officer in the Zimbabwe National Army has said. Speaking during the graduation ceremony of 49 soldiers and two police officers who completed a Master Farmer’s Course at Domboshava National Training Centre, Brigadier-General Stanely Mangena said the two-year package was meant to enable the uniformed forces to acquire the right farming skills.

“The two-year package was designed to equip you with the basic knowledge and skills of farming,” he said.

“The course objective was designed to raise the level of competency in farming methods, particularly in preparation for your career after your service in the army, thereby improving farming efficiency.

“The course equipped you with the basic knowledge of crop and animal production using the small plots or farms availed to you by the Government through the land reform programmes.”

Brig-Gen Mangena said the course met the expectations of the Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda and urged the graduates to embrace the knowledge gained through the programme.

“The course is in accordance with the Commander ZNA’s training directive, especially in preparation and equipping officers and men with the pre-requisite skills to sustain themselves and the country after retirement,” he said.

“I urge you to put the knowledge gained into practice for your own good and improve your value.”

Principal Agritex Extension Specialist in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Mr Smith Nyatsande, said it was imperative that people got educated on good farming methods so that when they receive inputs from Government, they would put them to good use.

“Most farmers in Zimbabwe are assisted with inputs under programmes such as the Presidential Input Scheme and Command Agriculture and this programme we are offering here empowers them with the right knowledge to properly utilise those inputs so that they get the right yields,” he said.

“A farmer has to be knowledgeable about the right quantities, especially in fertilisers and be able to measure the nutrient content of the soil as it determines the types of fertilisers to be used on that particular soil.”