Farmers in Midlands investing in water harvesting & drilling technologies

Farmers in Midlands Province are now investing in borehole drilling, as new ways of encompassing all season farming techniques, which are now geared up to be the only way to sustainable farming methods and a sure way of boosting food security and also enhancement to a long term solution to wad off climate change devastating effects on availability of water to support production.Also farmers are employing borehole drilling efforts by also investing in providing pumping power by installing Solar powered pumps. Agriculture is now taking a new trajectory, ushering in the advent of commercial farming technology and systems into the farmland.
“ Farming techniques have now evolved world over and in developing countries in Africa where farmers are yearly faced with devastating effects of climate change and droughts, one has to think outside the box and start employing methods that harvest and make availability of water and ease farming in such times as a challenge of the past”, said George Mukorongondi, a farmer in Lower Gweru.
Drilling of boreholes by farmers especially this farming season, when most farmers have harvested a ‘windfall’ and brought a whiff of money in the wallets, farmers had extra income to invest in water harvesting techniques and drilling of boreholes on their farming plots and homesteads to provide reliable, safe , portable drinking water and water to support irrigation schemes. Farmers are also buying and installing solar powered water pumps that will enable the farmer to have access to water and crop or vegetables production all year round.
“ Farming now needs investment drive , farming is now business. We are now investing heavily in technologies that enhances sustainable farming methods. Most farmers are faced by water availability challenges, hence the need to drill boreholes, employ water harvesting techniques. Most farming communities are located where electricity grids dont exists, also electricity from Zimbabwe Electricity Suppy Authority (ZESA) is expensive and unreliable. Solar energy is reliable, user friendly and free, but only a bit expensive to install. Once installed you are guaranteed of power for years”, said Charity Nkomo a small scale farmer from Silobela.