Conservation agriculture crucial for sustainability
Conservation agriculture is among the smart agriculture practices that contribute towards sustainable food systems.
This is according to Acting Deputy Executive Director (ED), Department of Agriculture Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR), Mildred Kambinda, at the official opening of the 7th National Conservation Agriculture Forum at Swakopmund on Tuesday.
The purpose of the meeting is to bring together various stakeholders involved in agriculture at the grassroots level such as Food and Agriculture Organisation, Namibia National Farmers Union, among others, to share experiences and lessons learned.
“Sustainable food system brings together all actors involved in food systems along value chains to ensure food and nutrition security,” Kambinda noted.
The meeting according to the acting deputy ED, is a special forum where farmers share their experiences and exchange ideas in conservation agriculture.
“These are not just farmers but lead farmers. A lead farmer is one selected to provide technical support in the farmer-to-farmer extension approach. Lead farmers are therefore very important stakeholders in the pursuit to reach more farmers, considering the current extension to farmer ratio.”
MAWLR Acting Deputy Director in the Department of Agricultural Production, Extension and Engineering Services, Ben Haraseb, at the same event emphasised the importance for the ministry to take stock of what it has implemented, including conservation agriculture.
“This means looking at the gaps and the opportunities in order for the ministry to improve and for us to be able to effectively implement conservation agriculture and assist farmers to produce crops and products through this.”-Nampa
This is according to Acting Deputy Executive Director (ED), Department of Agriculture Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR), Mildred Kambinda, at the official opening of the 7th National Conservation Agriculture Forum at Swakopmund on Tuesday.
The purpose of the meeting is to bring together various stakeholders involved in agriculture at the grassroots level such as Food and Agriculture Organisation, Namibia National Farmers Union, among others, to share experiences and lessons learned.
“Sustainable food system brings together all actors involved in food systems along value chains to ensure food and nutrition security,” Kambinda noted.
The meeting according to the acting deputy ED, is a special forum where farmers share their experiences and exchange ideas in conservation agriculture.
“These are not just farmers but lead farmers. A lead farmer is one selected to provide technical support in the farmer-to-farmer extension approach. Lead farmers are therefore very important stakeholders in the pursuit to reach more farmers, considering the current extension to farmer ratio.”
MAWLR Acting Deputy Director in the Department of Agricultural Production, Extension and Engineering Services, Ben Haraseb, at the same event emphasised the importance for the ministry to take stock of what it has implemented, including conservation agriculture.
“This means looking at the gaps and the opportunities in order for the ministry to improve and for us to be able to effectively implement conservation agriculture and assist farmers to produce crops and products through this.”-Nampa
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