Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
FARMERS have been assured of uninterrupted electricity and water supplies during the forthcoming winter cropping season.
In terms of electricity, 150MW will be ring-fenced to ensure non-stop supplies, up from 120MW during last year’s winter cropping season.
Regarding water for irrigation, 151 major dams have been monitored to assess their irrigation capacity with dam levels standing at 88,5 percent full, compared to 82 percent this time last year.
Responding to a question posed by The Herald at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, said farmers should not worry about electricity supplies in the coming season.
He said Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo was also working flat out to ensure Hwange’s Units 7 and 8, are available by March 29.
“Of the 21 enablers that we track for winter especially, number one is power; the assurance of uninterrupted supply of electricity.
“Last year, we had 120MW ringfenced for use by farmers. This year, this has increased to 150MW”.
Dr Masuka said an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Power working to establish the wheat growing clusters, is in place to ensure dedicated supply.
“Additionally, farmers are supplying the GPS coordinates of their meters so that ZESA can work with them to ensure that there is an uninterrupted power supply,” he said.
“You will note that generation at Kariba is also currently at 500MW a day, and that will really go a long way in ensuring that the winter season will proceed as planned”.
On water supplies, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said to effectively support the 2025 winter plan, 151 major dams were monitored to verify existing irrigation capacities.
“As at 13 March 2025, dams across the country’s 10 provinces are 88,5 percent full. The average national levels are above the 82 percent recorded during the same time last season,” he said.
The 2025 winter cereal production target for three major crops is 135 250 hectares, with wheat on 120 000 hectares, barley 6 500 hectares and Irish potatoes 8 750 hectares.
Dr Muswere said the wheat plan aims to produce 600 000 tonnes, surpassing the national annual requirement of 360 000 tonnes, barley 39 000 tonnes and potatoes 263 250 tonnes.
“To ensure the plan’s success, Government will closely monitor 21 critical enablers, including power, water, seed, fertiliser and fuel, financial support enablers comprising farmer payments, finance, and insurance; operational efficiency enablers comprising mechanisation, coordination and contract farming; risk management enablers comprising migratory pests, land issues, security, and veld fire management; as well as other enablers such as capacity-building, the policy regulatory environment, soil management, marketing, and monitoring and evaluation.
“A whole-of-Government and indeed, a whole-of-sector approach, will be used to achieve the set target,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Muswere said Cabinet received and noted the report on the Food Deficit Mitigation Programme, as presented by Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Edgar Moyo.
The 4th Blitz Food Distribution exercise is underway and will continue to cushion the most vulnerable food insecure households as they await harvest of their produce.
“Nationally, a cumulative total of 45 513,23 metric tonnes of grain has been distributed to the communities in need under the exercise.
“In addition, the cumulative distribution under the Zunde raMambo/Isiphala SeNkosi stands at 4 372.51 metric tonnes of grain. Processes are underway to replenish grain stocks allocated to the Chiefs.
“Meanwhile, the Cash-for-Cereal Programme continues,” Dr Muswere said.
