Give young farmers more support, Govt urged

Daphne Machiri Correspondent

Young farmers require more Government support to boost production and increase their contribution to food security, an official has said.

Zanu PF Mazowe Ward 34 councillor Edwin Chinotimba, who is farming at Watakai Farm in Mazowe, said Government should continue to ensure that inputs such as fertilisers, seeds and agrochemicals were affordable and available.

“We are so grateful that our Government announced a special scheme for the production of winter wheat and is continuing with the command agriculture programme,” he said. “This is very critical for farmers. I am in the command programme for winter wheat season where I am targeting to put 30 hectares under the cereal this season.”

Mr Chinotimba said as farmers, their thrust was to increase production so that the country becomes self-sufficient.

Mr Chinotimba, who is expecting 210 tonnes of maize and 10 tonnes of soya beans at his farm, said he was determined to do more despite the challenges he faced with fuel and adverse weather conditions.

He urged youths to take up agriculture because of the vast opportunities that it offered.

“As we celebrate 40 years of independence, we should make sure that we fully utilise the land so that we build our economy and ensure a brighter future for the nation,” he said.

Mr Chinotimba said Government needed to incentivise farming to attract more youths, so that they would start treating it like any other profession.