admin
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
FARMERS registered under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme should not pay for the transportation and distribution of production inputs as Government has availed $4 billion to ensure their swift movement to all wards collection points.
On Wednesday, Secretary for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Edgars Seenza gave a stern warning to all unscrupulous elements bent on swindling farmers.
This came as a red flag had been raised in Mutasa, with beneficiaries under the programme being advised to fork out US$2 each for the transportation of the Pfumvudza inputs.
Mr Seenza said such unscrupulous elements must be brought to book as corruption will not be tolerated in the distribution of inputs.
He said this practice undermines the rule of law, violates rights of beneficiaries and erodes public trust in noble Government programmes.
Mr Seenza said Government policy stipulates that farmers should not pay for the transportation of agricultural inputs under the Presidential Input Scheme as the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has already been paid to provide that service.
Government is targeting to distribute farming inputs to at least 3,5 million beneficiaries across the country, and 461 573 in Manicaland, ahead of the 2022/23 farming season.
Mr Seenza said Manicaland is geared for the 2022/23 summer season as the distribution of inputs has been scaled-up, with Government footing the transportation bill.
“Farmers are not supposed to pay for the transportation of Pfumvudza inputs. They cannot pay for a service that Government has already paid for. It is the responsibility of Government to ensure that the inputs reach the wards collection points. We have not instructed anyone to demand payment from farmers and anyone doing that should stop that because it is illegal.
“When corruption is prevalent and those in public positions fail to take decisions with the best interests of society in mind, this damages the credibility and trust for Government programmes,” said Mr Seenza.
Chief Director in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water Climate and Rural Development, Professor Obert Jiri echoed similar sentiments and warned inputs distribution committees against coercing farmers to pay.
“Farmers should not pay for the inputs being distributed to designated centers in their wards. The supplier takes the inputs to GMB depots and it is the responsibility of GMB to distribute them to the wards,” he said. Professor Jiri said Government has provided GMB with money to ensure the
smooth movement of inputs.
“We know that some seed companies have started moving a lot of seed via railway. FSG has also started moving fertilizer via railway to the provinces. However, from the provincial centers to various GMB depots, trucks come in,” he said.
Professor Jiri said in distributing inputs, the ministry is prioritising areas that were affected by delays in the past, including those usually shunned by transporters due
to the poor state of the road network.
Prof Jiri said Government has adopted an Electronic Input Distribution Application to reduce abuses of the Presidential Inputs Scheme.
“We have put in place modalities that should be respected and there are inputs distribution committees in each ward. Over and above the committee, which is supposed to oversee the distribution, Agritex is there to make sure that the procedure is followed,” he said.
The introduction of the online platform is part of the Agriculture Ministry’s efforts to ring-fence the Presidential Input Scheme from abuse as farmers are required to
register on the platform first before accessing inputs.
The farmers have to sign-up on the Electronic Input Distribution Application to be considered for inputs and will also have to log in to confirm they would have received inputs.
This system will assist in increasing accountability and transparency on the part of both farmers and distributors.
Registered farmers are given grower’s numbers that will later be used in a productivity audit as the Government mainstreams business practices in the agricultural sector.
In Manicaland, the training of farmers on Pfumvudza has been completed.
Online Reporter