adminHarare Bureau
FARMERS have started receiving inputs under the Presidential Input Scheme which is targeting 1,6 million people countrywide ahead of the rain season expected end of this month. The input package for each household comprises 10kg of seed maize, 50kg compound D, 50kg ammonium nitrate and 50kg lime.
Those in drier areas will receive 5kg each of sorghum or millet seed in place of maize.
Yesterday 600 families in Nzvimbo, Chiweshe, received their inputs to cover 0,2 hectare per family.
Officially launching the input programme in Chiweshe, Minister of State for Mashonaland Central, Martin Dinha thanked the people of
Mashonaland Central for voting for Zanu-PF overwhelmingly during the harmonised elections.
“It is good that you overwhelmingly voted for Zanu-PF during the elections and this is where such noble programmes come from,” he said.
“President Robert Mugabe realised the potential in small holder farmers in contribution towards food security.”
Minister Dinha said the inputs should be distributed fairly and openly.
The inputs, he said, were not for political leaders but ordinary farmers to ensure food production.
Speaking at the same function, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development responsible for Crops, Mechanisation and Irrigation, David Marapira said the inputs will be distributed at ward level to ensure farmers do not travel long distances to collection centres.
He urged beneficiaries of the programme to put the inputs to good use to ensure food security at household level.
“You should not sell the inputs. We are closely monitoring the beneficiaries and those who abuse the inputs will be brought to book. The inputs should cover 0,2 ha and should not be spread over a large area as this will affect production,” he said.
Deputy Minister Marapira said Agritex officers would follow up on the beneficiaries and assist with technical advice to boost yields.
Mazowe Central Member of Parliament, who is also the Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Tabitha Kanengoni, said the time was ripe for leaders to deliver to the people who voted them.
“We are no longer concentrating on speaking and making promises but we are now delivering according to our promises.
“You voted for Zanu-PF, it is now delivering but when you voted for the MDC-T it never delivered,” she said.
She said the inputs would also be given to MDC-T supporters since Zanu-PF was ruling everyone.
She expressed gratitude to Zambia and Malawi for assisting Zimbabwe with food.
“We have our friends so we can do without Britain and America,” she said.
The current global food crisis coming on the backdrop of worsening global warming has made it imperative for Zimbabwe to stop relying on food imports and produce adequately through such schemes as the Presidential Well-wishers Input Scheme.
The scheme has benefited a multitude of farmers since its launch.
The scheme came at a time when donor assistance had been drastically slashed with Government support also grossly falling inadequate.
Online Reporter