TAFE focussing on expanding Jfarm in African countries

Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE) was focusing on expanding its Jfarm, a model of integrated farm practises aimed at enhancing production and productivity, in African countries, a top company official said today.
There was good potential for agriculture in some of the African countries, with good yield, particularly organic agriculture and the company wanted to expand its activities there, TAFE Chairpeson an CEO Mallika Srinivasan said here.
Jfarm was successfully implemented in Rajasthan, in a replication of the pioneering efforts of the initiative in Tamil Nadu. It was beneficial to farmers of Rajasthan and subsequently to those from nearby states.

"We are in the process of setting up such facilities aimed at improving farm productivity and sustainable farming, leveraging relevant mechanisation in association with several countries in Africa," she told PTI here.
She was speaking after being conferred honorary doctorate at the convocation of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University for her contributions to global agriculture and machinery business.
TAFE had also established partnerships for skill training and development and piloting small farm sustainability programme in Malawi, Tanzania and Rwanda. Besides it was involved in developing multipurpose farmer centres across the the African continent, Srinivasan said.

The company was now focusing on organic farming, which is gaining momentum, due to health consciousness among the people, she said adding there was more demand for organic produces, which were also being exported.

When pointed about water shortage, she said this would be much more critical in the future and had to focus on precision farming with advance technologies.
TAFE was engaged in adaptive research and providing farm extension services, covering a variety of crops, like rice, fruits and vegetables, as an advisory service to farmers to enhance yields.
Besides, this would promote the knowledge of cultivation practices and latest technological advancements, the TAFE CEO said.
TAFE would work closely with government, academic and research organisations to enhance mechanisation, she added.