Zimbabwe agriculture extension services receive a major boost
A consortium of SNV, WHH, ICRISAT, CTDO and SAT won a tender from the European Commission to revive agriculture extension and research services in Zimbabwe under the Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme.
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A consortium of SNV, WHH, ICRISAT, CTDO and SAT won a tender from the European Commission to revive agriculture extension and research services in Zimbabwe under the Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme.
The consortium will work with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement (MLARR) and counterparts from DR&SS, DAEFT/MYIE (TVET) and AGRITEX. The project aims to establish an integrated market-oriented and farmer-centric agricultural knowledge. As well as an innovative service system that meets the needs of modern agriculture in Zimbabwe. The project will use a systematic approach to harmonise and establish functional synergies between agricultural knowledge and innovation systems. A Centre of Agricultural Excellence (CAE) with two national campuses will be also created to demonstrate the functional connectivity between research, education and extension. The CAE will act as a hub to demonstrates and trigger excellence in modern agriculture and extension practices, including research and education. By the end of the project the consortium will achieve the following:
Agriculture research: more farmer-centric and market-responsive; informative agricultural education to close existing gaps between research, education and extension.
Agricultural extension: modernised farming extensions through the use of ICTs; capacity building of District CAE; extended focus on value chains.
Agricultural education curricula and systems: dynamic and responsive addressing issues related to nutrition and food security, as well as integrated business and farmer knowledge.