The GART National Seed Fair & Horticulture Field Day was held over two days in October and is an important event in the Zambian farming calendar. It provides an opportunity for farmers and suppliers to meet, share ideas and discuss business for the forthcoming season. Demonstrations of the latest technologies and varieties are an integral part of the proceedings. Starke Ayres is a regular participant and it is a golden chance to reinforce grower relations. Objectives of the Fair can be summarised in 4 areas:
Empowering Farmers – This is achieved by providing them with the latest knowledge and tools, allowing informed decision-making. Smallholder farmers stand to benefit significantly from the insights and innovations presented.
Knowledge-sharing – practical demonstrations are the most effective way of showing what something is capable of. Growers can see innovations and novel techniques firsthand and decide which can be useful in their own situations. Our contribution to this was a planted demonstration of crops, including tomato, cabbage, onion, butternuts and beetroot.
Marketing Opportunities – The Fair brings together input suppliers, growers and customers and creates the chance to network, make deals and forge new relationships.
Decision-Making Support – growers are faced with many choices in terms of what to invest in. The Fair provides a support system that provides all the information needed to make such decisions.
The GART National Seed Fair & Horticulture Field Day is not just another agricultural event, it is a one-stop agricultural business centre. It provides benefits for farmers, input suppliers and produce marketers. Starke Ayres will continue to support the event to further agriculture in Zambia.
