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Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has implored farmers to utilise water harvesting strategies to complement policy and institutional measures being introduced by Government in an effort to boost agricultural productivity.
VP Mnangagwa said Government was putting in place a raft of measures including the review of tariffs and national pricing models to promote production.
The Vice President said this in a speech read on his behalf by Information, Communication Technology, Courier and Postal Services Minister Cde Supa Mandiwanzira at the official opening of the Mashonaland West Provincial Agricultural Show in Chinhoyi on Saturday.
“Government has put in place measures to address policy and institutional capacity challenges that need to be mitigated to ensure that Zim-Asset goals and objectives are met,” said VP Mnangagwa.
“These include the ease and cost of doing business, national pricing models, review of tariffs, manufacturers’ rebates, value added tax deferment, special economic zones and industrial parks and the Buy Zimbabwe initiative.”
VP Mnangagwa said the country should stop mourning the adverse effects of drought and climate change and go beyond rain-fed agriculture.
He said Mashonaland West province should reverse the decline in the production of crops like maize, soya beans, sorghum, millet and groundnuts.
The area under maize in Mashonaland West dropped to 172 556ha from 223 510ha in the 2014/ 2015 season.
VP Mnangagwa bemoaned the decline in cotton production, but said Government was working on revitalising the sector.
He commended the rise in tobacco production. VP Mnangagwa said 300 000 hectares of maize were written off last season due to climate change induced drought.
He said equipment acquired through the Brazilian More Food for Africa programme and other mechanisation initiatives should follow the indigenous knowledge and framework of “nhimbe” or communal task management.
“The Brazilian More Food for Africa equipment and other mechanisation initiatives need to be located in our indigenous knowledge context and framework of “nhimbe”.
“Such location will enable us as a nation to fully exploit and benefit from these mechanisation strategies,” he said.
VP Mnangagwa said Mashonaland West should take advantage of abundant water bodies to venture into citrus fruit production.
At least 74 exhibitors showcased at this year’s agricultural show, an increase from 65 last year.
Online Reporter