Posted on March, 24, 2022 at 08:48 am
Dar es Salaam. Gross Africa has invested a capital of $15million aimed at leasing farm inputs to farmers in 16 regions including horse power tractors through a pay as you go model.
Nurdin Osman is the former vice President and General Manager all Africa and Middle East, AGCO Corporation, a global $10 billion revenue agriculture equipment manufacturer whose brands include Massey Ferguson, challenger Fendit, Valtra and GSI distributed through more than 3,100 independent dealers and distributors worldwide.
He said the company's expertise in implementing sound, profitable investments in numerous value chains.
"Africa holds more than 60 percent of the world’s arable land which if properly utilized can meet the continent’s food requirements with surplus for export.
However, most of this land is under severe pressure from urbanisation, poor agricultural practices, desertification and degradation.
Likewise he said, limited mechanisation prevents farmers from making the most out of their farms, often forcing them to expand into virgin forested land.
He, therefore, said there is a need to present mechanisation solutions that not only allow for more effective land usage and hence production but also ensure that such is done in a sustainable manner.
According to him to ensure the arable land is optimally used and in a sustainable manner, they seek to introduce mechanisation facilities for hire and in doing so, the continent can produce the animal feeds and hence animal protein it needs to feed.
"We provide 100 hp tractors, soil management, drills, agrochemical application, machinery, harvesting machinery," he said.
He said they aim to issue the equipments to farmers who plant crops that can be added value like maize, beans, rice as well as animal feed.
"Our approach is to provide the inputs including tractors worth Sh200 million to farmers who cannot raise capital for the equipments," he said.
They target farmers from Morogoro, Arusha, Tanga, Mbeya, Iringa among other regions comprising of 50,000 hectares to enable them become consistent suppliers of the grains to foreign markets where currently world consumption grain stands at 70grams per person.
"Our intention is to lead the complete value chain from farm to fridge with a focus on providing protein rich healthy foods. We are building relationships with key partners and organizations such as machinery manufacturers, suppliers of agro-inputs and implements, vendors, agencies, institutions, funders and operators across the agricultural value chain,” he said.
Source: The Citizen