Zabion de Wee from John Deere discusses how technology and education are changing farming in Africa. The company runs tailored training programs for emerging and commercial farmers, and partners with the Periton Agri Institute to provide specialized agricultural training.
Foreign.
Welcome to African Farming. My name is Batemele Muliduane and today we're going to be discussing technology and education. To help us with this is Zebian from John Deere. Sebian, welcome back. Thank you, Sabian. Technology or information building is very important when it comes to mechanization. How does John Deere offer solutions in this regard?
John Deere I believe is at the forefront of when it comes to technology. But you must remember now we talking to emerging farmers, farmers that has never been exposed to some of the technology. So we work our technology on an individual basis on the farm farmer needs. A commercial farmer will now be at our Green Star JD Link. But for a new farmer, first time doing proper mechanization, we'll start with a 5 Series tractor with the basic mechanical technology which is already advanced for him. So that's how we roll out our technology.
Site John Deere works closely with the Periton Agri Institute. Can you please tell us more about this?
You know, John Deere went and said, listen, we need tailor made training to help assist our farmers and to help our assist people in the industry. So basically Paritum helps John Deere with all our agriculturally related training on our machines, farm management, financial management, crop production, even as far as animal production, everything that is basically related to the farm.
Now tractors of yesteryears are not like the tractors of today. Being a tractor driver today is actually a specialized profession. How important is training?
It is very important, tabi, because it's going to determine your production, how you optimize your product and the longevity of your tractor or equipment. So we went and looked at how can we with Paretam have programs that helps farmers with this. So we have a specialized course just focusing on the technology in the tractor, the equipment, how to optimize the right equipment with the right amount of kilowatts that you get from a tractor. So it is crucial if I just say it in short.
Now talking about Periton, I want to know who do you train? Do you train the farmers or do you train the John Deere staff members?
Actually they do everything for us. They have programs that we do on John Deere staff, on our dealers and the farmers and also students. We have programs that is made for the specific needs out there. So you would find that if you need to train your farm workers, even there's a course for them and then there's a course for students or people that want to go and work out there and be specialized tractor operators, there's a course for that also.
Sebien, thank you for your time.
It's a pleasure. Thank you.
Keep the conversation going. Go to africanfarming or africanfarming.com and remember, we farm better together.
Get the necessary cover for you and your family in the event of unforeseen misfortune. The African Farming Protector Plan offers you comprehensive funeral cover for your entire family plus extended family at an affordable cost. Our product also offers benefits such as monthly discounts on groceries, discounted bus tickets, ambulance services, and Troma and assault assistance, to name a few. For more information on the African Farming comprehensive funeral plan, SMS African Farming to 45269 and get the peace of mind you deserve.
