Story by Providence Maraneli
AS climate change continues to threaten food security in the country, farmer field schools have been identified as the key to sharing information on mitigation measures.
To the people of Mangwe in Matabeleland South who have been converging at Ms Scino Ncube’s farm to learn and share the best ways to be productive in the face of climate change, the farmer field schools concept has been helpful to their summer cropping season.
Ms Ncube noted, “The farmer field school concept has been helpful to us as farmers, we were converging as farmers and sharing knowledge on the best practices and this has helped us a lot.”
The local leadership is convinced that government intervention will boost farmers’ fight against climate change.
Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Abedinico Ncube said, “With all the government is trying to do, we as the people of Matabeleland South Province should work hard, so that we become food secure.”
As part of the rural development 8.0 model, the government is targeting to establish at least 5 000 farmer field schools across the country to accelerate agriculture development.
Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka noted, “We have introduced this farmer field school concept, every village should have a school like this. It will assist us in learning about how to produce our crops for household food security in our locality, and, now that Agritex has been given motorcycles they will be able to list you and help you achieve this goal.”
The farmer field schools concept provides a central point where farmers interact with extension officers on ways of solving farming-related problems.
