Food security everyone’s responsibility

duty to restore the country’s bread-basket status.
Addressing peri-urban farmers at a field day at Green Acres Farm in Harare on Monday, Mr Tome said a country could only be called independent if it was self-sufficient in terms of food security.
“It is the Government’s wish to restore our bread basket status in the Sadc region and therefore it is the duty of every citizen to fight food shortages,” he said. Mr Tome castigated illegal sanctions that have caused untold suffering and has disadvantaged the farming community in accessing inputs.
“Given that our country is experiencing some economic hardships due to the drought and illegal sanctions imposed by Britain and its allies, it is pleasing to note that urban farmers have taken an initiative to tackle these challenges,” he said.
He encouraged farmers to host and attend field days as these provided them with an opportunity to share ideas and methods. Green Acres Farm owner, Mr Caleb Makwiranzou, said peri-urban farmers faced numerous operational challenges.
“Farm mechanisation schemes have come and gone, we never benefited from these and we are not aware if any farmer from the Harare North peri-urban farming has benefited.
“The rates levied by the city council are exorbitant and not justifiable. We provide our own water through boreholes, collect and treat our own sewage through septic tanks and collect and burn solid refuse.
“It is therefore of shocking news to us farmers that were does the council obtain a rate of US$2 000 per month. Who can afford it?”
There is no formal union representing peri-urban farmers.
“Our request to Government is to be treated like any other farmer elsewhere in the country with no rates and levies. We also desire successful agriculture production for the nation,” said Mr Makwiranzou.
Harare’s urban farmers expressed their deepest sympathy to the Karimanzira family following the recent death of national hero, Governor David Karimanzira.
The late governor was a strong proponent of peri-urban farming and extolled its ability to ensure household food security.