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REALIGNING INPUT MARKETS TO FARMER NEEDS

REALIGNING INPUT MARKETS TO FARMER NEEDS. The case of Zimbabwe. Agriculture policy. Massive production of all agricultural commodities to ensure national food security and household food self sufficiency. Role of agric in Zimbabwe economy. Contributes between 16 and 20% of GDP

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REALIGNING INPUT MARKETS TO FARMER NEEDS

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  1. REALIGNING INPUT MARKETS TO FARMER NEEDS The case of Zimbabwe

  2. Agriculture policy • Massive production of all agricultural commodities to ensure national food security and household food self sufficiency

  3. Role of agric in Zimbabwe economy • Contributes between 16 and 20% of GDP • Over 40% of national exports • 60% of raw materials to agro industries • Provides livelihoods to over 70% of the population • Employment for some 1/3 of formal labour force

  4. Major agric commodities • Food crops – maize, wheat, small grains • Cash crops – tobacco, cotton, coffee, tea, sugarcane • Livestock – cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry • Horticulture – fruits, vegetables , flowers

  5. challenges facing the agric sector • Fertilizer shortage > low capacity utilisation due to lack of foreign currency • Limited hybrid seed availability > poor supplies of fertilizer, erratic fuel and electricity • Untimely and inapropriate supply of inputs • Recurrent droughts and floods • Limited financial resources to smallholder farmers • Limited investment in agriculture> irrigation, infrastructure, market dvpt • Limited research and extension > funding constraints ( cell phone farmers)

  6. Strategies to improve agric production including improving input markets • Contract farming – cotton, maize, tobacco, barley • Linking commodity and input marketing – GMB , farmers deliver maize and get inputs in return ( or cash) • Seed fairs – done by AGRITEX, NGOs and seed houses across the country • Warehouse receipts (WR) – improving input credit and adding flexibility in farmer selling decisions. Will weed out ineffective farmers. WR development at an advanced level • Vulnerable farmers – targeted 1million households including 600 000households under FAO. Level of support – 1/3 to 1/2ha. Package includes seeds and fertilizers

  7. Strategies continued…. • Livestock production – rehabilitation of dip tanks, vaccinations, supplementary feeding etc • Irrigation development and drought mitigation – potential 600 000ha but less than 200 000ha developed and functional. Vast water bodies available including underground water. • Farm mechanization – acquisition of tractors, combine harvesters and implements to improve productivity

  8. Strategies cont….. • strengthening of commodity associations, cooperatives and farmer’s unions • Strengthening research and extension services • Promoting investment in agriculture – free market, multicurrency environment but still require irrigation development, input and output market development, infrastructure, among others.

  9. Thank you

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