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7th September, 2011
FUNDING AGRICULTURE
The agriculture sector has become the producer of raw material for a large variety of industries.
It is therefore, very important to take a second look at how the country’s farmers in the rural, urban and sub-urban areas can be helped to move the sector forward more appropriately.
In this connection, it is prudent to look at key areas like agricultural mechanisation, energy, irrigation, post-harvest activities such as crop and fish drying and adding value to products such as fruits, vegetables, oil seeds, cereals and the production of breeding stock.
For instance, the supply of mini tractors and small irrigation equipment to a group of farmers, can help double their acreage and make farming a year-round activity.
One of the reasons why the country’s agriculture is not the industry that it should be, but still remains the ‘cutlass-and hoe’ system, is our inability to lurk the sector to the energy sector, especially the renewable which can be generated locally by the farmers themselves.
It is our fervent hope that, with the introduction of various technologies and applied research programmes and projects, a more comprehensive and holistic approach to funding agriculture can become a key initiative which can push the agriculture sector forward.
We also hold the view that granting of direct loans is not the only way to empower the farmers, and therefore, enhance the country’s agriculture, when agriculture is now more than “putting food on the table”.
The Times urges the government to provide the mechanised tools and equipment to our farmers to enable them to maximize production to feed the population and industry.
The banks must also support our peasant farmers with soft loans to acquire tractors and other basic tools to reduce the frustrations they have to go through during the harvesting of their produce.
Our famers must also come together as groups so that they can be supported by the financial institutions to access loans to expand their farms.
It is therefore, very important to take a second look at how the country’s farmers in the rural, urban and sub-urban areas can be helped to move the sector forward more appropriately.
In this connection, it is prudent to look at key areas like agricultural mechanisation, energy, irrigation, post-harvest activities such as crop and fish drying and adding value to products such as fruits, vegetables, oil seeds, cereals and the production of breeding stock.
For instance, the supply of mini tractors and small irrigation equipment to a group of farmers, can help double their acreage and make farming a year-round activity.
One of the reasons why the country’s agriculture is not the industry that it should be, but still remains the ‘cutlass-and hoe’ system, is our inability to lurk the sector to the energy sector, especially the renewable which can be generated locally by the farmers themselves.
It is our fervent hope that, with the introduction of various technologies and applied research programmes and projects, a more comprehensive and holistic approach to funding agriculture can become a key initiative which can push the agriculture sector forward.
We also hold the view that granting of direct loans is not the only way to empower the farmers, and therefore, enhance the country’s agriculture, when agriculture is now more than “putting food on the table”.
The Times urges the government to provide the mechanised tools and equipment to our farmers to enable them to maximize production to feed the population and industry.
The banks must also support our peasant farmers with soft loans to acquire tractors and other basic tools to reduce the frustrations they have to go through during the harvesting of their produce.
Our famers must also come together as groups so that they can be supported by the financial institutions to access loans to expand their farms.
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