Zimbabwe commercial agriculture in 20k tractor deficit
By Delicious Mathuthu
The Zimbabwe commercial agriculture sector is in need of more than 20 000 tractors for tillage, while communal and small holder farmers need 25 000 two-wheel tractors to replace animal draft power.
As government fights to close the gap, it has formed the Mechanisation Development Alliance (MDA) to bring on board private players to assist in acquiring adequate machinery to develop the agricultural sector to expected standard operations.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, in a report through a bi-monthly magazine prepared by the Directorate of Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS), said private players have been engaged to assist government in acquiring thousands of tractors to boost commercial farmers.
“Government has formed the Mechanisation Development Alliance to galvanise public and private sector efforts to close the large holder mechanisation gap of 20 000 tractors.
“As at November 2022, the private sector had proposed schemes for 5 000 tractor units and government another 3 337 tractors under the Belarus scheme,” the Ministry said.
For communal and small holder farmers, the Ministry said animal draft power is the biggest set back in maximising productivity.
Government has proposed replacement of animal draft power with two-wheel tractors which are, still, in short supply.
“For the communal and smallholder sector, the government launched the new paradigm that for production to move to the next level, from a Theory of Constraints perspective, the “hoe and the ox drawn plough” are the biggest mechanical constraints militating against increased production and productivity.
“In this regard, the mechanisation gap was determined to be 25 000 two-wheel tractors, and the groundwork for closing this gap from 2023 has been laid,” the Ministry said.
The report also highlighted government’s efforts in the year 2022 in mechanising the agricultural sector which, as the report said, surpassed the annual targets.
“In order to raise efficiency of labour and enhance productivity, the government is implementing unprecedented mechanisation schemes.
“In 2022 alone some 1 641 tractors have been distributed to farmers, against a business as usual target of 800-900 tractors a year,” said the Ministry.
The Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) has been capacitated by government to offer tillage services to cover farmers that are yet to be equiped.
In 2021, the institution received 400 tractors for the tillage programme.
Tractor shortages in the Zimbabwe commercial farming sector has dropped from over 30 000 units previously to 20 000 current.
The figure could drop even further to just over 11 600 if the proposed MDA mechanisation programme is successful.
On communal and small holder farmers, research states that more than 85% use animal draft power for tillage and transport, part of which government seeks to mechanise through provision of the two-wheel tractors.