admin
Midlands Correspondent
YOUTH, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Cde Francis Nhema has called on farmers to enhance the quality of their livestock.Speaking at the official opening of the 89th edition of the Midlands Show in Gweru on Saturday, Cde Nhema, who was the guest of honour, said there was need for resettled and communal farmers to improve the quality of their animals so that they can be resistant to common bovine ailments.
“I am pleased to report that, pursuant to the objective of rebuilding the national herd, there is a wide variety of cattle, goats, sheep, poultry and different kinds of crops. In line with the critical importance of livestock as a source of beef and dairy products, I am heartened by the significant progress made by resettled and communal farmers alike.
“I encourage them to keep up the good work and move towards improving the quality of their animals so that they can be resistant to common bovine ailments,” he said.
Cde Nhema said there was also need for farmers to place emphasis on small grains in drought prone areas.
He said small grains had high nutritional value and would enable the country to achieve its goals of creating a self-sufficient and food surplus economy.
The Minister said small grains could help Zimbabwe reclaim its position as the “bread basket of Southern Africa” as enshrined in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset).
“There is scientific evidence to show that small grains have high nutritional value, especially for young children and are drought resistant. More importantly, small grains require less rain and fertilizer and perform optimally on livestock manure. This is in line with the country’s economic blueprint.
It is imperative to complement each other and work together to achieve the objectives of ZimAsset,” he said.
Cde Nhema said the country must make strategic use of resources that were within reach to achieve the objectives of ZimAsset which also seeks to create an enabling economic environment to generate wealth and productivity through mining, agriculture, industry, tourism and infrastructural development and rehabilitation.
He said government had remained committed to supporting small to medium-scale enterprises that have become the engine of economic growth.
Cde Nhema said the government was working on ensuring SMEs get the requisite skills, access finance and low-interest capital.
“Government will continue to open up opportunities for small-scale mining and procurement of the requisite machinery. It will continue to institute policies to catapult small and medium-scale enterprises to prosperity in view of the fact that they are the engine of economic growth, generation of wealth and an improved quality of life,” he said.
Speaking at the same occasion, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the patron of Midlands Show Society, said the government had remained committed to protecting dairy farmers in a bid to increase milk production in the country.
Cde Mnangagwa said the government spared dairy farmers’ land in the land redistribution programme to ensure that the country increases milk production in the wake of increasing demand of the commodity.
“When we conducted our land reform programme, we ensured that we spared dairy farmers. Midlands has the highest number of dairy farmers and is producing the greater quantity of the country’s milk.
“We have reduced the quantity of milk being imported from neighbouring countries. Our dairy industry is doing well and we hope that they would increase production so that they meet the national demand.
“We must not import milk when we have the capacity to produce for ourselves,” he said.
The Midlands Show was held under the theme, “Creating an enabling economic environment”.
Online Reporter