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Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
The Government is targeting 400 000 hectares of maize under Pfumvudza/Intwasa compared to 247 000ha last season, with about two million hectares of maize targeted to be planted nationwide.
Inputs are being distributed at the moment to 3,5 million households countrywide under the Presidential Inputs Scheme.
The main aim of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa concept is to address problems of low productivity, low production and low profitability in farming, which have, in recent years, been negatively affecting the food security situation in the country.
Pfumvudza aims to ensure availability of food through adopting conservation farming techniques.
It involves the use of small plots and then applying the correct agronomic practices for high yields.
A recent update by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development indicates that about 1,3 million women in agriculture were actively involved in National Pfumvudza Agric4she programme.
The programme has become an integral part of farming in the country, scaling up sustainable food and nutritional security, income, opportunities for value addition and development of agro-business value chains.
The programme also aims at ensuring women are actively involved in farming countrywide.
In an interview, Tobacco Farmers Union Trust president, Mr Victor Mariranyika, urged farmers to diversify and take up Pfumvudza training in large numbers to ensure food security and boost household incomes by selling the surplus.
“I recommend farmers to take up this training. Pfumvudza is the only way to go in terms of ensuring food security and sustainability,” said Mr Mariranyika.
“The increase in women’s participation is a great sign which symbolises that the nation will be self-sufficient in terms of food crops.
“If you empower women, there is a possibility that you have empowered the nation, but I urge both men and women to continue taking up this programme.”
In a recent interview, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) economist Ms Nyasha Taderera applauded women for taking up the programme, saying it was empowering the majority of women and will go a long way in sustaining their families.
“Women’s participation in this programme is crucial. I appreciate the involvement of women in such programmes. This will lead to economic growth. If we equip women, they can save their families,” she said.
“I recommend more women to take up these programmes. Its massive uptake has improved yields and enhanced household food security for the majority of smallholder farmers.”
Women in various parts of the country applauded the Government for introducing Pfumvudza to sustain their families.
Mrs Wadzanai Maringe of Makombe said limited resources were the major issue, which was affecting them in farming.
“Most women still have challenges as they have limited resources. Most women cannot afford to apply for loans from financial institutions as the interest rates are high,” she said. “Climate change has also affected agriculture and hit most women hard as they cannot afford irrigation.
“We applauded the Government for coming up with Pfumvudza/Intwasa to climate-proof agriculture but there are also some instances where we need irrigation so we can produce crops throughout the year and maximise profits.”
The concept has also come in handy as a way of mitigating the harsh effects of climate change that have caused severe food shortages in the wake of successive crop failures.
This season the programme will support five Pfumvudza plots per household with an agro-ecological region-specific crop input package for maize, sorghum, pearl millet, soya beans, sunflower, groundnuts, vegetables and African peas.
Under the Pfumvudza programme, soyabean is targeted at 6 230ha, sunflower 100 000ha, sorghum 250 000ha, pearl millet 126 577ha, cotton 180 000ha giving over one million ha of crops under Pfumvudza this summer season.
The Zunde RaMambo Scheme will support 10 plots for chiefs, seven plots for headmen and five plots each for village heads.
Online Reporter