Nyondo to introduce tractors

National Salvation Front (Nasaf) president James Nyondo says he will introduce tractors in many parts of the country to do away with a hoe as the major tool of farming after 50 years of independence.

In an interview on Monday, Nyondo said the tractors will be introduced at farmers’ club level and the first phase of the launch will take place in Mangochi, Lilongwe, Mzimba and the Shire Valley.

“The farmers will access the tractors at [Farmers’] club level and the farmers in Malawi will be linked to prominent businesspersons and processing industries in America through Alabama, Malawi Investment and Trade Council (Mitc). The council is there to help develop the agriculture sector in Malawi. Those who can afford will get their own tractors,” said Nyondo.

He said the tractors will come directly from the USA to the farmers in Malawi.

“The farmers will be helped with seed, markets and processing at club level. The people with processing plants are already in the country,” he said.

Nyondo said the tractors will be a solution to poverty in Malawi as farmers will be able to work and produce all year round without much hustle since they will stop using hoes.

“That is the goal of Nasaf government; to make people produce all year round and do small businesses which will also be linked to their counterparts in the USA,” he said.

Nyondo said the clubs will be ready from May 20 2014 and the farmers will pay some little money for the tractors.