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Herald Reporter
FARMERS for Economic Development (F4ED) have assured President Mnangagwa of a resounding victory in the forthcoming elections and pledged to mobilise more voters for the ruling party.
The economic lobby group was formed last year with the aim of equipping farmers with skills, affordable equipment, and the necessary knowledge to turn farming into a lucrative business.
Speaking during a farmers’ engagement meeting held at Zonde farm in Beatrice, Seke District over the weekend, the interim national chairperson for F4ED, Mr Tapiwa Chitate, said all their members had registered to vote and they will be voting for President Mnangagwa.
“We are here to share ideas on good agriculture practices but most importantly we want to make sure that the President gets the 5 million votes in the upcoming general elections.
“People should take farming as a business, we should be able to grow for our families and for the nation so that we can sell the surplus for a profit,” he said.
Mr Chitate also said that they are going to make sure that all abandoned farms become productive.
Playing his part, Zonde Farm owner Mr Foster Gwanzura has created employment for the local people and is confident that the nation will achieve its previous breadbasket status.
“The nation should know that we are creating employment as farmers. I have 150 employees and I am planning to add 20 more employees,” Mr Gwanzura said.
“We have 120 hectares of tobacco which is now ready to be harvested, 60 hectares of maize plant, 150 cattle and 120 goats.
“All farmers here support the President, we are promising him that Seke Constituency will vote for Zanu PF and as farmers we are making sure that all our workers are registered to vote and we are assisting them.”
Mr Gwanzura also encouraged youths to venture into farming and take it seriously.
“Farming needs patience, youths want to make quick money,” he said.
“Get into farming and after borrowing money, don’t relax, make money first. Unfortunately most people make a big mistake of relaxing after they have borrowed money.”
Another farmer, Mrs Anna Musiiwa, described dam siltation as serious threat to their crops.
“We really appreciate the work that is being done by the Second Republic to construct more dams however, dams which have silted are now posing a serious threat to our crops.
“As F4ED we are appealing to the Government to chip in and make sure that all dams are scooped because we are failing to do winter cropping.”
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