CORTEVA Agriscience says there is urgent need for farmers to boost crop productivity by increasing their yields through agronomy support and mechanisation to improve national food security.
Speaking during the launch of the Limani Mu Wine Season Two sales promotion, dubbed: “Nafuti Nfafuti”, Corteva Agriscience Managing Director, Samson Nyendwa, said the Company was excited to roll out the second successive edition of the promotion, aimed at helping farmers improve productivity through provision of agronomy services and mechanization.
Addressing various stakeholders at the Company’s Head Office in Lusaka, Thursday, Mr. Nyendwa said: “Farming is business and farmers must make profits, but how can farmers make profits if they cannot produce efficiently and profitably? It saddens us to see the low yields our country keeps recording season in, season out. We need to, collectively with all key stakeholders, help farmers improve productivity by initiatives such as we are launching today and offering our farmers agronomy services and adoption of best agricultural practices. So, as Corteva, having seen how successful the first Limani Muwine! promotion was in helping farmers improve their farming practices and added value to their livelihood, we decided to roll out a second round of Limani Muwine Sales promotion.”
He added that: “This promotion will enable us create a database of real farmers in addition to what were collected last season, through which we will tailor ongoing agronomy support and agricultural best practices in our effort to close the yield gap. We are delighted to continue with the Limani Muwine Nafuti Nafuti promotion, and we would like to wish all participating farmers all the best.”
This year, in addition to winning instant prizes that are revealed behind scratch cards issued after Pannar and Pioneer-branded seed is purchased at agro-dealer shops countrwide, participating farmers will have a chance to enter into the overall draw to win the grand prize of a tractor.
Corteva Agriscience Relationship Manager, Deborah Tembo (2nd l), reveals this season’s new scratch cards’ agronomical tips at the back of the cards and how they help farmers boost their yields (Photo: Corteva)
Mr. Nyendwa disclosed that: “Keep your eyes on THE TRACTOR! That you can win by buying Pannar & Pioneer seed brands from any of the accredited and participating agro dealers near you. This is part of our continued CSR aimed at helping boost Zambia’s crop productivity, narrowing the yield gap, enriching farmers and promoting farming as a business and enabler of Zambia’s economic development and food security.”
In the 2022/23 sales promotion, the total number of participating agro dealers were 70 drawn from across the country and the number of those who benefited, winning different prizes, were 58.
One Mufumbwe-based farmer, Mr. David Alumandu, won the grand prize, a brand-new hammer mill, while other farmers received maize shellers, cultivators, planters, fertiliser applicators, knapsack sprayers, and solar kits.
This year, farmers buying 2x10kg of either Pannar or Pioneer maize hybrids from any of Corteva’s participating agro dealers dotted across Zambia will have an opportunity to get a scratch card, which when scratched, will reveal instant prize ranging from bicycles, ox carts, complete house solar lighting and many more.
The projected total number of winners is anticipated to be 14,500 and the promotion is running in 119 shops countrywide.
