Command Agric gains pace in Mat South

Thupeyo Muleya : Beitbridge Bureau

Matabeleland South sets plans to roll-out Command Agriculture into motion A team of agricultural experts and senior Government officials from Matabeleland South Province has started assessing irrigation infrastructure and water bodies as authorities intensify efforts to roll-out the Government-initiated command agriculture programme.Under the programme, at least 2 000 farmers are expected to benefit from the initiative that is aimed at ensuring food self-sufficiency and also reduce grain imports.

It is also understood that the scheme is targeting farmers near water bodies who can put a minimum of 200 hectares under maize per person.

The farmers will get loans in terms of seeds, fertilisers and other requisite equipment. Matabeleland South’s chairperson of the coordinating committee, Mr Judiya Ncube said in an interview yesterday that they were visiting identified irrigation schemes and districts verifying the information they had been given by the interested farmers.

He said the province had been given a target of 2 500 hectares to put under the programme and, that they were getting an overwhelming response.

“We have started visiting districts and identified irrigation schemes to verify the information and also assess the state of the infrastructure before we can roll-out the programme.

“We are also checking the availability of irrigation water in water bodies. We have covered a lot of ground, and we are very hopeful that the scheme will be a great success,” he said.

Mr Ncube said they were also getting possible challenges and coming up with solutions as a matter of urgency. The provincial irrigation officer, Engineer Shepard Mupotegwa, said they were left with conducting assessments in Mangwe, Umzingwane and Beitbridge districts.

“You will note that for provinces including Matabeleland region, Midlands and Masvingo, the scheme will be rolled-out at irrigation schemes and any other interested farmers close to water bodies where they can draw irrigation water.

“A lot of people are coming forward to register and, it is pleasing that all is going according to plan,” he said.