Tea farmers allied to Nyansiongo tea factory have a reason to smile after the factory’s management agreed to adopt new strategies aimed at improving productivity.
This follows a report tabled by a committee of experts that was mandated to come up with recommendations of improving efficiency and productivity.
The committee chaired by Peter Omare, a retired agricultural officer who tabled the findings to the factory’s chair Peter Nyakora on Wednesday.
Speaking during the ceremony Nyakora said the management had agreed to allow farmers access fertilisers twice a year and also to set a team of experts who will be mandated to traverse the region and help farmers upgrade their standards of farming.
“I want to thank the committee chair for good work. We had received a summary of the content and we were unanimous that two of the recommendations to be implemented urgently. From next year, you will be able to access fertilisers twice a year and a team of experts will be touring every farmer occasionally to share ideas,” he said.
Nyakora also said the factory will be keen to take farmers for a series of seminars to share new ideas on improving yields.
“We didn’t do well in terms of productivity in 2014-15 and thus we have also resolved to hold seminars occasionally to supplement ideas given by experts. We want to see farmers reaping handsomely in annual bonuses,” he added.
He also said the factory management was reviewing possibilities of adopting motivational awards that will see successful farmers rewarded with farmer of the month and farmer of the year awards respectively.