WHY pay a farmhand when machines that never grow tired can be purchased?

This is one of the questions for Zambian farmers especially now in an era of technology.

Traditional farming methods are slowly giving way to new precision farming that is changing the way the world grows its food.

Precision farming, according to the Farmers Gazette, is the application of technologies and agronomic principles to manage space and temporal variability associated with all aspects of agricultural production for the purpose of improving crop performance and environmental quality.

In modern times, powered machinery has replaced many jobs formerly carried out by men or animals such as oxen and horses.

The history of agriculture contains many examples of tool use, but only in recent times has the high rate of machine use been at such a level.

The first pervasive mechanisation of agriculture came with the introduction of the plough, usually powered by animals. It was invented in ancient Mesopotamia.

Current mechanised agriculture includes the use of airplanes, helicopters, trucks and tractors, among other vehicles in developed countries and slowly being embraced in least developed nations.

However, the trend is still in its infancy stage in most developing countries especially in Zambia.

Realising the hugh benefits of precision farming, the Government of Zambia has started developing and promoting appropriate technology in order to increase agriculture production and utilisation.

Removing duty on the importation of farm equipment is one major step Zambia has taken to ensure the objective and strategy of the national agriculture policy is achieved.

Some small-scale farmers have however, begun to appreciate the fruits of precision farming which is supported by the Government economic policy of zero rated tax on import of farming equipment.

The 2010 Budget removed taxes on importation of farm equipment to enable farmers acquire farm implements.

Apart from that, the Government has highlighted in the 2004-2015 National Agriculture Policy that the development and promotion of appropriate technology is critical to increased agriculture production and utilisation.

The strategy in the policy will develop and promote appropriate farm machinery like the removal of tax on importing of the equipment.

The policy also seeks to develop and promote farm implements, equipment and accessories and fishing methods.

Development and promotion of appropriate seed varieties and planting materials, livestock types and breeds are other measures that the Government wants to use in promoting prescision farming.

The State also wants to promote suitable fish species and aquaculture practices.

Development of control measures for pest and disease control, sustainable yied enhancing farming methodologies and the use of approciate biotechnology are other initiatives Zambia has taken.

The Government has noted that inadequate farm power and equipment is currently one of the limitations to increased agriculture production therefore in the National Agriculture Policy the state wants to contribute to increased agricultural production through sustainable use of farm machinery and equipment.

The State also wants to encourage appropriate tillage techniques, farm structures, crop storage, processing and packaging techniques suitable for small scale farmers.

Lack of information on how to access the technology is what seems to be affecting small-scale farmers and change of mind set from the traditional way of farming to new ways.

Copperbelt Artificial Insemination Committee chairperson Pythias Timba says over coming the two attributes can contribute signficantly to the growth of the agriculture sector among small scale farmers.

Mr Timba says explaining the benefits of new technology to small scale farmers needs concerted efforts because the traditional ways of farming are still stuck in their minds.

He however, says a good number of the farmers have started for instance to embrace artificial insemination and the use of other farming implements at lower level.

"Promoting technology in farming among small scale farmers should be encouraged because it has the potential of contributing the bread basket of Zambia," he says.

Mr Timba who is camp agriculture committee chairperson for Kampelembe farming area in Luanshya says some farmers are not even aware that the Government has removed tax on the importation of farm equipment which are now affordable and can be accessed by the farmers.

He says there is need for the Government to subsidise equipment used for artificial insemination like strolls and and liquid nitrogen to enbale farmers access them easily.

Liquid nitrogen is a substance used as cool box for keeping the semen at a required temperature while strolls are used for packaging

Maureen Mwape of Lusaka, who is using hand planters and boom sprayers at her farm says when used to the fullest extent, precision technology reduces a farmer's fertiliser and water consumption-two essential components of farming.

Hand planters are used for planting seed and applying fertilisers simultaneously while boom sprayers are used for spraying herbicides.

She says the equipment is handy and affordable to small-scale farmers.

"The only problem is that the farmers don't have the information about the procurements and application otherwise they could appreciate some of the equipment because it is tailored to their specifications," Mrs Mwape says.

She says because of their lack of micro-knowledge, farmers have had to resort to blanket applications of these two substances because they lack the necessary technology to pinpoint the smaller areas of real need.

Mrs Mwape says there are other machineries that farmers can take advantage of like that for water conservation.

She says water is a resource that is in short supply, and unlike oil, there is no substitute for its dwindling supply, therefore, it is imperative that water be conserved.

Susan Chipili says by providing unprecedented precision, new agricultural technologies allow farmers to reduce their consumption of fertiliser and water at the same time, minimising pollution.

Mrs Chipili says precision farming's downsides lie in its cost, turnover rates, and incompatibilities.

She says that the precision technology is expensive to operate due to recurring cost in the maintenance and services of some equipment.

"Precision technology may also ask society to prioritise technology over tradition but these benefits apply almost exclusively to large, corporate farming," Mrs Chipili says.

The United States of America department of agriculture reports that farmers are able to produce more food by switching to precision technologies.

For instance, in the seeding pattern, precision technologies allow farmers to move from a simple one-in-a-line seeding pattern to more lines.

Providing enough food for the world's poor is a continuing challenge. According to a study issued by the International Food Policy Research Institute, by 2020 world population will increase to atleast 8 billion.

Most of this growth will take place in the developing countries, Zambia inclusive and will account for about 85 per cent of the increase in demand for cereals and meat.

Already, almost 1 billion people live in poverty and suffer chronic hunger-about two-thirds of who are farmers.

Biotechnology as promoted in the National Agriculture Policy can play a major role in helping countries become self-sufficient in food.

Biotechnology, coupled with providing information to the farmers on the benefit of precision farming should be encouraged in order to increase the production of food staples, improve the efficiency of production, reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, and provide access to food for small-scale farmers.