THE government, working with seed producer Seed Co, has launched a competition that is expected to boost agricultural production among smallholder farmers who constitute approximately 80% of the farmers in Zimbabwe.
The National Crop Farming Competition (NCFC) is expected to empower smallholder farmers for the 2024-25 season, with the competition taking place at district, provincial and national levels.
The NCFC, which encourages participation of farmers across the country to showcase their agricultural skills and creativity, is designed to empower smallholder farmers by providing them a platform to demonstrate their potential in producing a bumper harvest.
The competition comes at a time when Zimbabwe is battling the effects of an El Niño-induced drought which wiped out crops in southern Africa, impacting 68 million people and causing food shortages across the region.
Speaking at the launch of the competition in Harare this week, Seed Co managing director Felistus Ndawi-Gurajena said the competition would promote the adoption of good agronomic practices that unlocked the genetic potential of the Climate Smart Seed varieties to mitigate the effects of climate change.
“At Seed Co, we recognise the vital role that smallholder farmers play in our agricultural landscape, constituting approximately 80% of the farmers in Zimbabwe,” she said.
“Therefore, this competition is an opportunity for these farmers, to showcase their hard work and dedication while fostering a spirit of collaboration and innovation.
“By focusing on yield, we aim to highlight the importance of effective seed section, it starts with the right seed.”
To enter the competition, farmers are required to buy a 10kg bag of maize or 10kg bag of sorghum seed from reputable distributors and send the receipt to the seed company’s WhatsApp number.
NCFC prizes will include seed, fertiliser, scotchcarts, grinding mills, motorcyles, 5kVA solar systems and mobile tractors, among others.
“Farmer will compete within their district, allowing localised (grassroots) adoption of good agronomic practices in local environments.
“This stage focuses on creating a strong community of growers who can share knowledge and techniques on how to produce a bumper harvest while growing Seed Co climate smart varieties,” Ndawi-Gurajena said.
“The top performers from each district, will advance to the provincial level, where they will compete against other districts. This stage will highlight regional best practices and innovative farming techniques.
“Finally, the highest yielders from each province will compete on the national stage. This will culminate in a grand event where the best smallholder farmers will be recognised, and the overall winner will be determined.”
