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Elton Manguwo

LEADING seed house, Seed Co, yesterday unveiled the National Crop Farming Competition in a move poised to ignite a culture of competitiveness among communal and resettled smallholder farmers.

Speaking during the launch, the company’s managing director Mrs Felistus Ndawi Gurajena said the competition would take place at district, provincial and national levels respectively and encouraged the participation of farmers from all over the country.

“At the district level, farmers will compete among themselves, taking into account local practices and conditions. The top three performers from each district will advance to provincial competitions before the best yielders from the provinces will face off in a national event.

“This national event will bring together the finest farmers allowing them to demonstrate their expertise and share their insights. Through this multi-tiered approach, the initiative will promote agricultural excellence,” said Mrs Gurajena.

The prizes for the competition will feature a diverse range of valuable items, including seed, fertilisers, scotch-carts, grinding mills, motorcycles, solar systems and mobile tractors among others.

“We warmly invite all communal and resettled smallholder farmers to take part in this exciting competition focused on enhancing agricultural productivity as we believe that by coming together in this way, participants can inspire one another and contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of our agriculture sector,” said Mrs Gurajena.

The competition is designed to empower smallholder farmers providing them with a platform to demonstrate their potential in producing bumper harvests.

“This platform fosters networking and collaboration among farmers, enabling them to learn from one another and exchange ideas that could lead to improved productivity,” said Mrs Gurajena.

Participants will compete to achieve the highest yields using selected Seed Co seed varieties from various climate-smart maturity groups, all guided by agro-ecological mapping.

This approach ensures that farmers utilise seed varieties best suited to their local environmental conditions thereby enhancing their chances of success.

“By emphasising on yield, we aim to underscore the significance of effective seed selection,” said Mrs Gurajena.

Additionally, farmers in low rainfall areas can participate in the competition by cultivating traditional grains, such as red or white sorghum.

Farmers participating in the competition will receive expert agronomic advice from dedicated Seed Co sales agronomists located in each province. This support is designed to enhance household productivity and ultimately contribute to food security.

Mrs Gurajena added that the agronomists would provide tailored guidance on best practices for crop management, soil health, and pest control, ensuring that farmers can maximise their yields.

“By offering personalised recommendations based on local conditions and practices, this initiative aims to empower farmers with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed,” she said.