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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
The second batch of tractors and other equipment worth US$3 million was delivered yesterday under a US$50 million deal between the Government and two private companies, Afgri Zimbabwe and John Deere International.

The delivery comprised 60 tractors and eight combine harvesters which were taken to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement’s Institute of Agriculture Engineering whose responsibility will be to train farmers on the use and maintenance of the equipment.

This brings to 90, the number of tractors that have been delivered after the first batch of 30 that was brought into the country over the weekend.

The remaining 450 tractors, 32 combine harvesters and tillage equipment are expected later.

Afgri Zimbabwe country manager Mr Graeme Smith said they would train engineers from the ministry under the deal.

“We will be training first of all, ministry staff and all the regional engineers will be coming in to do operator training and basic service maintenance training. As and when the equipment is supplied to farmers, they will be coming here to do operators’ training courses. So the institute will be back to what it was designed for, that is to teach and train farmers how to maintain and use their equipment,” said Mr Smith.

The tractors will be supplied to farmers through a credit facility supported by commercial banks to enhance crop production and food security.

The deal was cemented following President Mnangagwa’s engagement with John Deere Agriculture Worldwide president Mr Mark von Pentz, who expressed willingness to partner the Government in boosting the agriculture sector through mechanisation.