FAO trains 200 farmers

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO 

At least 200 small holder farmers  across the country have been trained by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)  in new farming techniques as part of efforts to address food security issues.

Patrice Takoukam, the subregional coordinator for Southern Africa and FAO representative for eSwatini, Lesotho and Zimbabwe said the organisation will support more farmers in different communities.

“The programme is on food security and agriculture. Two groups of farmers  in Gwanda and Mangwe in Matabeleland South Province, have been trained in new techniques, especially regarding the  climate change context. It was important for these late farmers to be trained on a new variety of seeds, “ Takoukam said.

He added: “We will also try to diversify their production. And we were happy to see that those lead farmers have also been able to train others  in their communities on what they have learned.”

Takoukam said there are more than 200 farmers that have already been trained in the country with the programme expected to reach more farmers.

In Zimbabwe, over 70% of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods.  But, climate change is threatening agricultural productivity.