#1COUNTRY PRESENTATION FOR ZIMBABWE compiled by Ms Tonderai Midzi#2INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Zimbabwe is a land locked country with 70% of its population deriving its livelihoods from the agriculture sector(Commercial, Communal, A1, A2, ARDA and Plantations) The diverse agro-climatic conditions in Zimbabwe enable farmers to grow a variety of food and cash crops, over 23 types of food and cash crops are grown with white maize being the main staple food, we also have a well developed livestock sector. The performance of the agricultural sector determines the overall level of people's living standards and development of the economy, as agriculture contributes 15-18% of Gross Domestic Product, in addition it contributes 40% of national export earnings and 60% of raw materials to agro- industries.#3The map of Zimbabwe MOZAMBIQUE ZAMBIA IV ΠΙΑ BOTSWANA IV 100 100 SOUTH AFRICA 200 300 km IIB MOZAMBIQUE#4SITUATION ANALYSIS IN ZIMBABWE • The government supported the small irrigation schemes through the Brazilian scheme and Command Agriculture. • The government intends to establish 200hectare irrigation schemes per district (54) which will be equipped with a center pivot, and agricultural machinery. · Farmers are offered technical extension services for free through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement.#5CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES High production costs e.g hiring a tractor for ploughing is 100USD per hectare. • Lack of and/or limited availability of suitable medium and long term finance schemes from commercial banks and the private sector which support small holder farmers due to instability of the economy. • Inadequate investment in the rehabilitation and development of irrigation systems to combat the effect of recurrent droughts by both the government and the private sector. Policy inconsistencies from the government. The products packaged by command agriculture and the more food for agriculture scheme do no provide a wholesome production chain from tillage to processing/value addition. • There is no matching up of the equipment and the farmers capacity/land holding.#6GOOD PRACTICES AND EXPERIENCES • Brazilian More Food for Africa Scheme which has enabled small holder irrigation scheme members to benefit from farm machinery such as tractors, disc plough, disc harrows, tractor drawn planters to mention a few. . Command Agriculture which has seen more small holder farmers venturing into farming of different crops as they will be provided with inputs. Agribank and CBZ have agricultural loan facilities. Extension services provided by government, non governmental organisations and private companies. To minimize post harvest losses farmers need to be trained on post harvest. management. WFP in 2017 procured 212 metric tonnes of small grains but rejected 41 metric tonnes due to spoilage in Rushinga. This prompted the PHH management trainings in 2018.#7Farmer training on post harvest at a field day in partnership with a local seed house. SEED-CO#8• • RECOMMENDATIONS To accelerate agricultural mechanisation for the benefit of smallholders there should more research and development of the technologies that have worked for other countries with similar challenges as Zimbabwe. Government should give small holder farmers tenure documents so that they can be able to access financial facilities from banks and the private sector -small holder credit Capacitate farmers to increase agricultural production and productivity by supporting technical staff with resources to fully undertake their work, such as mobility training material. Encourage and promote primary agro-processing and value addition To have a census of the level of mechanisation so that we have an inventory which will enable us to have proper planning for sustainable mechanisation in the small holder sector. e.g number of tractors versus output.#9CONCLUSION To have sustainable mechanisation for small holders government policies should embrace small holder credit, support to extension services, agricultural mechanisation support services, training, agro- processing and value addition. • In as much as we would have mechanized the small holder farmer from tillage to harvesting but without mechanizing and training the farmer the processing and preservation/storage part we will have shortchanged the farmer. • To conclude I will quote the nations vision "a prosperous, diverse and competitive agriculture sector, ensuring food and nutrition security significantly contributing to national development", this is what we thrive for as technocrats in the mechanisation department.#10THANK YOU