Govt leverages on tech to drive smart agric

THE GOVERNMENT, through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, says it will leverage modern technology to drive the rollout of smart agriculture initiatives to boost national food security status and accelerate economic growth, a senior official said.

Smart agriculture initiatives entail the use of modern technology to improve agricultural efficiency, sustainability, and productivity.

Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos his ministry received the relevant ICT equipment for deployment in agricultural operations from the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services.

He said this while officiating at the Smart Agriculture Blueprint launch at the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) head office in Harare on Tuesday.

The processes include precision agriculture which involves the use of instruments that use data analytics to monitor weather patterns, soil moisture levels to determine the best time to plant, irrigate, and harvest crops.

This also incorporates the use of drones to monitor and manage crops, livestock, and farm equipment.

Such initiatives are expected to have a positive effect on efforts to increase yields in the agriculture sector while reducing farmers’ operating costs and encouraging sustainability.

Zimbabwe is prioritising Smart Agriculture Initiatives after it was nominated to lead the Smart Agriculture flagship under the Smart Africa Alliance, a grouping of 36 African countries working together towards transforming the continent through ICTs and innovation.

The assignment entails coming up with and implementing a matrix on the deployment of digital tools and solutions for use in the country to be replicated in other countries.

This coincides with the Government‘s drive to lead the smart agriculture project under the Smart Africa Alliance and Zimbabwe Climate Smart Agriculture Investment Plan (CSAIP), which is being conducted with the assistance of the World Bank.

While addressing participants at the Smart Agriculture Blueprint launch Deputy Minister Haritatos said his ministry was working to increase the use of technology and recently kick-started the use of drones for Tsetse control in the north, northwest, northeast, and southeast of the country.

He said this was a digression from the initial methods of game destruction and bush-clearing to aerial spraying of insecticides through the use of drones.

“Enhancing investments in infrastructure, agricultural knowledge and innovation, and diversified production systems are among the key recommendations to boost the economy.

“Embedded in this initiative is the development and deployment of various digital innovations that support agricultural development in Zimbabwe.

He said the kind of support they received from the Ministry of ICT and Courier Services would help in achieving President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 of ensuring that Zimbabwe is transformed into an upper-middle-income society while enhancing national food, nutrition and fibre security and regaining the status of the bread basket of Africa.

The incorporation of innovation into agriculture complements the Agriculture Recovery Plan and the Livestock Growth Plan, which seeks to grow agriculture to a US$8, 2 billion economy by 2025 with multiplier effects across the whole economy.

The result will be inclusive of crop and livestock development projects and programmes.

In his remarks, ICT and Postal and Courier Services Minster Jenfan Muswere said the Smart Agriculture Blueprint will map the country’s path towards transforming agricultural systems to make them more ICT based, more efficient, and more productive.

“Zimbabwe is naturally an agro-based economy and at one time we were the breadbasket of Africa.

“To accelerate our transition back to those glory days, the Government has decided to use the only reliable and certain catalyst there is and that is ICTs.”

“Our agricultural systems too must transition and develop. As we modernise the country, our agricultural practices too should be modernised,” said Minister Muswere.

In pursuit of the Smart Agriculture agenda, the Government has identified a piece of land where Smart Agriculture solutions would be piloted through the Agricultural and Research Development Authority (ARDA).-herald