Beverly Bizeki
A total of 800 farmers from Masvingo province graduated with Master Farmer certificates on April 6, 2023 at an award giving ceremony held at Consen Mutasa’s homestead in Zaka.
Agricultural Rural Development Advisory Services Chief Director Professor Obert Jiri presided over the ceremony which saw 236 farmers 159 from Zaka, 33 from Bikita and 44 from Chiredzi getting their certificates on sight.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jiri said the master farmer graduates should receive first priority when inputs are disbursed as they have the required expertise.
The master farmer training programme started a few years after independence.
“Master farmers must be given certificates and must be given first choice when inputs are distributed because of the zeal they have shown in farming. District Agriculture Extension Officers must prioritize master farmer graduates in all presidential inputs programmes,” said Jiri.
Famers were happy to finally receive as they had long waited for their certificates.
In another event held in Chivi on April 5, 2023 Jiri also handed over prizes to Farmer Field School winners at Farirai Madume’s homestead in ward 12 in Chivi.
Madume, the overall best Farmer Field School Farmer was rewarded with a knapsack sprayer, ripper, tick grease, 50kg bag of Compound D fertilizer and 50kg bag of Ammonium Nitrate fertilizers.
Madume a traditional grains farmer said he has managed to become food secure because of these small grains.
“I am happy for being awarded an overall winner because I have heeded to the call to venture into small grains farming which has made me become food secure,” said Madume.
15 other farmer field school farmers were recognized and received prizes from the seven districts.
The Farmer Field School (FFS) is a community based non-formal education targeting farmers interested in finding solutions to farming constraints brought about by climate change and climate variability.
So far the project has established 234 farmer field schools with 64 in Masvingo and 15 in Chivi.
The FFS has seen more women taking up the programme constituting 66 percent of the total farmer population.
