Abatsha abakumsebenzi wezokulima eZimbabwe sebeqalile ukuguqula indlela zokulima besebenzisa indlela zakulez’insuku eze technology.
Uhlangothi lukahulumende olwe Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency kumbe Zimstats luthi inani labatsha abakumsebenzi wezokulima selikhuphuke ngokuyisilinganiso esingaba ngamatshumi amabili lanhlanu ekhulwini-25% eminyakeni elitshumi esanda kwedlula.
Abatsha kodwa bakhala ngokuswela usekelo, ikakhulu kunnhlelo zokulima bethelezela lendawo zokuthengisela isivuno sabo.
IZimstats ithi sekulabatsha abafika inkulungwane ezilitshumi – 10,000 asebengene kumisebenzi yokulima kuminyaka elitshumi esanda kwedlula, okuveza ukuba abatsha sebelentshukuntshu kumsebenzi wokulima.
Ukulima bekusazakala kungumsebenzi owenziwa ngabantu asebekhulile inengi liqala ukulima lapho sebetshiya imisebenzi kodwa abatsha kwele Zimbabwe sebengena kukho ngobunengi babo bekuthatha njengebhizimusi elingabalethela inzuzo.
IStudio 7 ixhumane labatsha abakumsebenzi wokulima elizweni yathola ukuba basebenzisa ulwazi lwakulez’insuku ukuguqula indlela ukulima okwakusenziwa ngakho kusukela endulo.
Omunye wabatsha laba nguServie Moyo osowabeka isudu khatshana waqala ukulima amatamatisi. UNkosilodubo uthi usebenzisa ubulembu bokuxhumana ukudinga abantu abangathenga izilimo zakhe.
‘’Thina ukulima sesabona ukuba yindlela elakho ukusiphumelelisa. Kungakhoke sesadinga indlela esingazisebenzisa ezibalisa ukusebenzisa isocial media ukudinga ama markets ikakhulu thina esiku urban agriculture’’
Omunye njalo okumsebenzi wokulima nguEmmerson Ngwenya othi usebenzisa umakhalekhukhwini ukudinga abantu abangathenga izilimo zakhe okwenza ukuba athole imali yakhe yenele ngoba kadingi abantu abazamqila lapho bethenga.
‘’Sesisebenzisa ama applications ku internet asincedisa ukulwisana lama middle men ngoba laba kuyibo abantu abanze ukuba singavezi inhloso yethu ngemfanelo. Iinternet isincedile ukulwisana labasiqilayo laba’’
Abanye njalo abenza okokulima besesebatsha babalisa abathathu uNyasha Mbire, uGlibert Zindove loTichakunda Maodza abalima besebenzisa umlilo welanga. Balima izilimo ezifana lamazambane,indlubu lezinye ezingasatholakaliyo.
UTichakunda olima labanye bakhe ababili uthi abakucela kuhulumende yikuba bephiwe imfundiso yaphezulu kundlela zokulima lemali yokuba bathuthukise umhlabathi wabo.
‘’Sifuna ukuba sithole imfundiso eyeneleyo sikhangela indlela zakulezi nsuku zokulima. Nxa uhulumende esenelisa kumele asihambise kwamanye amazwe siyefunda ngoba thina abatsha singelakusasa le Zimbabwe kugatsha lwezokulima.’’
Lokhu kusekelwe ngumlimi wase Gwanda osakhulayo ofuya inkomo, uZenzele Maphosa, othi ufuna ukusebenzisa indlela zakulez’insuku ezibalisa iGPS ukuze engalahlekelwa zinkomo zakhe.
"Nxa ungumlimi wenkomo uhlangana lobunzima obugoqela imikhuhlane lokutshontshelwa. Kudala abadala babefaka amabhera enkomo ukuze zingalahleki kulezinsuku sekule GPS yiyo esesiyifuna lathi ukuze singabi lobunzima ukuzidinga. Imina ngingayisebenzisa kodwa abanye kabayazi’’
: UHappyness Mabhena yena ofuya inkukhu zamaqanda uthi abatsha bakhala ngosizo lokuba bathole lapho abangathengisela khona izilimo zabo.
‘’Mina ngifisa ukuncediswa ngendlela zokuthola indawo zokuthengisela amaqanda ami. Yilo odubo olulabalimi abanengi asila ndawo zokuthengisela ngabe bayalungisisa khonapho abadala.’’
Osakhulayo uGodknows Nongayi uthi kunengi okuhlupha abalimi.
‘’Uhlupho olukhona yikuba ukulima kufuna umuntu owenelisa ukubekezela lokhu kunzima ukuba kwenziwe ngabasakhulayo. Ukulima kufuna ukubekezela lokuzimisela okukhulu."
Osebenza kugatsha lukahulumende lwezokulima, uMnu. Mthulisi Sibindi, uthi uhulumende ulendlela ezinengi zokuphathisa abalimi abasathuthukayo.
‘’ Uhulumende ulenhlelo ezinengi zokuphathisa abatsha. Okukhulu esikwenzayo yikuba bathole inhlanyelo lokunye. Kodwa kulamabhanga njalo abancedayo ukuze bathole imali. Okuqakathekileyo yikuba bazi lapho okokuya khona ezigabeni ezehlukeneyo zelizwe."
Ugatsha lukahulumende olwezokulima luthi abatsha abafika isilinganiso sokungamatshumi ayisikhombisa ekhulwini - 70% basebenzisa indlela zakulez’insuku ukudinga abantu abangathenga izilimo zabo. Luthi lokhu kukhuphula inani lezilimo abazithengisayo ngesilinganiso sokungamatshumi amathathu ekhulwini - 30%.
Inhlanganiso yabalimi eyeZimbabwe Farmers’ Union ithi abalimi abatsha abafika isilinganiso sokuyingxenye ekhulwini-50% sebesebenzisa indlela eziqondane lokuvikela ukuguquka komkhathi.
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