COMMENT: Intwasa is a solution to problems well understood

There is nothing more satisfying than understanding a problem. Yes, even solving the problem is less satisfying than understanding it.

Understanding a problem means solutions are easier to find, and the problem does not recur.

The Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme is a good example of a government initiative that addresses specific problems that have been well understood.

The problems include food security, low production and productivity, de-industrialisation and increased imports.

The Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme – a low input sustainable agriculture approach – then improves efficiency and boosts national food security.

The success of the programme bears testimony to the fact that Government understood the problems well.

Reads an article by Vince Musewe on the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development website: “It is a fact that Zimbabwe has actually de-industrialised over the last 15 years since the fast-track land reform programme of 2000.

“As a country where 60 percent of industrial inputs came from the agriculture sector, it is no surprise that the decimation of agriculture remains the main cause of the collapse of local industry, the increase in unemployment and the proliferation of cheap imports and the in-formalisation of our economy. There is no argument against that.”

Beyond addressing these macro-economic concerns, the Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme is changing lives of so-called peasant farmers, in line with the vision of building an upper-middle income economy.

According to an update by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, 1,9 million farmers have so far been trained under Pfumvudza.

Already, the lives of rural farmers are being transformed as a result of this training and provision of inputs by Government.

As we reported yesterday, villagers in Matabeleland North Province have built houses, bought cattle and other assets from proceeds of their produce under the Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme.

Said Matabeleland North Minister Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo who officiated at the Intwasa/Pfumvudza provincial launch for the 2021/22 agricultural season on Wednesday: “This is the vision of the President for people not to live in pole and dagga huts but modern houses like those found in urban areas like what others have built.”

During the launch, 16 beneficiaries from Umguza Ward 9 each received two bags of fertilizer, maize seed, groundnuts, millet and sunflower seed.

People from other districts in the province are also receiving inputs.

The launch was held at the homestead of Mr Thompson Dube, who is the village head of Makhondo Village in Umguza District. Mr Dube, who harvested 9 tonnes of maize last season and delivered 5 tonnes to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), has already prepared land for Intwasa/Pfumvudza ahead of the onset of the rains.

“This (three-roomed) house which is almost complete, is being built by money that I got when I sold the five tonnes to the GMB. This year I started preparing the fields in October and I have completed three plots. I dig the holes and then put manure, fertiliser and mulching,” Mr Dube told fellow farmers.

Ms Bennitah Ncube of Makhondo Village 1 who planted maize in her field said: “This year I harvested three tonnes of maize and my maize was so good that I was selected to host a Field Day. This coming season I want to increase the hectarage under Intwasa/Pfumvudza farming so that I harvest more. I managed to buy two heifers after selling some of the maize.”

With normal to above normal rainfall forecast this season, we can expect the Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme to be a success yet again. We can expect more small holder farmers to be smiling all the way to the bank after being paid by GMB.

We can expect more development in rural homesteads, disposable income and food security. We can expect local industry to continue to pick up the pace and more local products on the shelves in supermarkets.

This is all because the Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme is a solution to problems that were well understood.

The programme is not a big social media joke after all.