adminHeather Charema Mashonaland West Bureau
The District Development Fund (DDF) has launched a free tillage scheme expected to benefit up to 62 000 vulnerable families in the rural and resettlement areas of Mashonaland West.
The programme is being implemented in partnership with the Brazil More Food for Africa initiative.
This comes as most farmers in the province lost draught power to tick-borne diseases such as Theileriosis, commonly known as January disease.
The few families with donkeys have turned to them for draught power, while those that lost the entire cattle herd and did not own donkeys are grounded.
Many farmers have not yet prepared their fields in the absence of draught power.
The DDF scheme, which has been welcomed by many villagers, targets 31 000 hectares.
Each farmer will have half a hectare tilled for free by the DDF using about 65 tractors under the Brazil More Food for Africa programme that have been committed towards the free tillage programme in Mashonaland West.
DDF has committed extra tractors for the scheme, and is in the process of repairing broken down implements and tractors to provide more tillage for vulnerable households.
Addressing villagers during the launch of the DDF tillage programme at Magogi, Makonde District, on Sunday, Acting Director in the office of the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs, Mr Douglas Chiwiro, said the tillage programme will boost yields.
He said the programme will also promote the Presidential Input Scheme by availing draught power to vulnerable farmers.
“This scheme is meant to assist vulnerable people and households in rural and resettlement areas with sufficient agriculture inputs and equipment that will assist them in their various agricultural projects,” said Mr Chiwiro.
“The objective of this programme is to ensure food and nutrition security in our households, which we expect to cascade down to the national level.
“This initiative will boost the farmers’ yields and our national food and nutrition security will be guaranteed.”
He said Government has implemented a number of initiatives to sustain vulnerable groups of people around the country, which include the Command Agriculture Scheme, the Presidential Inputs Scheme as well as the tillage programme.
Mr Chiwiro also urged farmers to desist from selling seed and fertiliser from the Presidential Inputs Scheme.
Online Reporter