A great percentage of rural farmers the world over are still practicing an antiquated way of farming. They still resort to age-old methods of preparing the soil by way of making a group of work animals like caribou or water buffalo, cows, donkeys, horses, etc. walk through the field back and forth for the purpose of trampling down under the soil grasses, weeds, etc.
This is a crude way of cleaning and preparing the soil for planting. Grasses and weeds are trampled to die and decay. They don’t use farm machines even simple ones. This is gospel truth and a common sight among third world countries.
Compared with the farmers of long ago, our farmers of today are brimful with knowledge, skills and technologies in agriculture. Yet they do what they ought not to do.
It is very ironical to think that some countries like the Philippines, for instance, has been exporting agricultural experts to other lands yet the kind of agriculture in their countries are still wayward. Why?
The various agricultural departments are complete with records that time and again they have conducted seminars, workshops, demonstrations, briefings and meetings on the when, what, how and why of modern-day agriculture. You can visit www.lic.co.nz/products-and-services/automation/ to know more about modern farming techniques.
These same sectors of government can produce attendance sheets to prove that these same strategies to educate farmers were well attended by them. On this score, the role of the schools in equipping pupils and students with vital farming lessons cannot be overemphasized.
Then why are other countries lagging behind in agricultural output? Why are other countries importing rice from other countries? Why are farmers reverting to the crude method of farming despite their stocks of farming techniques. The answer is very simple.
Majority of farmers are too poor to apply their agricultural expertise in their farms. The price of insecticides and fertilizers are not within their reach. The possession of even simple farm machinery are more of a dream than realities. Transfer of technologies will not happen with farmers having hungry and empty stomachs.