Vice President Mohadi calls for wider access to agri-tech, improved livestock genetics

Source: Vice President Mohadi calls for wider access to agri-tech, improved livestock genetics – herald

Nyore Madzianike, nyore.madzianike@zimpapers.co.zw

VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi has called on all players in the agricultural sector to play their part in boosting production and ensuring that advances in technology and livestock genetics benefit farmers across the country.

VP Mohadi made the remarks during a tour of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) in Harare yesterday where he expressed satisfaction with the quality of livestock on display, saying local breeders were making significant progress and could soon compete with international breeders.

He said agricultural shows provided an important platform for taking new technologies and improved genetics to smallholder farmers, in line with the Government’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.

“Well, I think the importance of it all is that we are now able to reach the smallholder farmer out here through these shows.
“We are talking about the provincial ones and I think it will also be good that we go to district level so that those that are out there get to see how genetics can actually be improved or they can improve their livestock.

“You see, this goes with our mantra which says, leaving no one and no place behind.”
VP Mohadi urged all stakeholders, including the private sector, to contribute towards improving agricultural production and ensuring farmers benefit from technological advancement.

“So we need to get on board each and every individual that is involved in this sector to do the best that they can.”

He said the innovations showcased at the agricultural show demonstrated the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in driving the modernisation of agriculture.
“You know, we have always encouraged the PPPs that is private-public partnerships,” he said. “And what we have seen here, the technology has come to play quite an important role.”

VP Mohadi was particularly impressed by hydroponic technologies, including systems that combine fish production and crop cultivation through the recycling of waste.
“Initially, before we came to this section, we saw those hydroponics, how the hydroponics were actually in different ways, where they are actually feeding fish and at the same time taking the ammonia, the ammonia waste back into the plants and that is something of a kind. I don’t think many people are aware of that and are doing that, so that’s a plus,” he said.

The VP also highlighted advances in animal nutrition, with farmers and breeders now having access to feeds formulated for different livestock species and age groups.
“There is also a nexus in terms of feeding these animals. We have been introduced to, or we have seen different kinds of feeds for different kinds of animals and different ages altogether. That means that we are actually progressing very well technologically. So we are no longer just breeding for the sake of breeding.

“So we are breeding for the international community and we are breeding something that actually gets something into the farmer’s pocket,” he said.
On livestock genetics, VP Mohadi said the quality of animals on display reflected considerable progress by local breeders.

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