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Cabinet received an update on the 2023/2024 Summer Crops Marketing and Food Security Outlook to March 2025 and the 2024 Winter Cereals Plan as presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka.
The country’s food balance sheet to March 2025 indicates that 6,2 million rural population will require assistance. Taking into consideration the rural population requirements to March 2025 and the school feeding programme to April 2025, the maximum amount of grain required is 464 608.54 tonnes.
Current stocks in the Strategic Grain Reserve, comprising wheat, maize and traditional grains are at 264 246 tonnes excluding 32 314 tonnes imported by Government to date. The 200 362.54 tonnes shortfall will be met from the winter wheat harvest surplus on the national annual requirement estimated at 240 000 tonnes as well as additional Government grain imports estimated at 300 000 tonnes.
Meanwhile, Government will accelerate depot-to-depot grain movement for the current period of August to October 2024. The Grain Marketing Board is now operating 50 Agro-shops, supported by 12 hammer mills mostly in rural areas and peri-urban depots as part of the Government price stabilisation thrust, and to enhance product availability, accessibility and affordability. The commodities sold at these agro-shops include mealie-meal, sugar, rice, salt, flour, soap and cooking oil. Silo Foods’ complementary products include coffee, bran, dried kapenta, flour, grits, maize-meal, salt, silo samp and traditional mealie-meal.
The private sector is expected to import all stock-feed requirements to March 2025 of 400 000 tonnes and urban maize requirements of up to 450 000.
To date 567 160 tonnes has been imported. Import permits worth 1.8 million tonnes of maize are active.
Regarding the Winter Cereals Plan, 121 982 hectares of wheat, 2 100 hectares of maize, 3 732 hectares of potatoes, 6 449 hectares of barley and 3 000 hectares of seed wheat were planted. The wheat-based food security strategy is therefore sufficiently robust to meet our needs to March 2025.
PROPOSED PRESIDENTIAL SOLARISATION PROJECT
Cabinet considered and approved the Presidential Solarisation Project by the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), as presented by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Lovemore Matuke.
The project seeks to promote the rural industrialisation development agenda and the realisation of the Rural Development 8.0 Strategy by expanding solar-powered infrastructure. Related benefits of the Presidential Solarisation Projects include piped water system; nutrition gardening; livestock watering; and household usage of power for domestic household purposes.
Each rural household will be equipped with a solar system which will power electrical appliances, while the solar powered water system will use a submersible pump that will enhance agricultural productivity and food security. The system will be installed in remote locations which do not require considerable grid infrastructure.
The Presidential Solarisation Project will build resilient communities and develop communities by using non-polluting green energy sources.
MID-TERM PROGRESS REPORT ON THE 2ND 100-DAY CYCLE OF 2024
Cabinet received and noted reports on progress made in the implementation of priority projects for the Second 100-Day Cycle of 2024, as presented by the Ministers of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; and National Housing and Social Amenities.
The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi highlighted the following achievements for projects under his purview:
Regarding rehabilitation and reintegration, 112 inmates at Anju Prison in Matabeleland North Province have acquired various skills in the brick processing industry, while 80 inmates have been capacitated on seeding and transplanting of various crops;
At Mazowe Prison in Mashonaland Central Province, 20 inmates acquired skills in the interpretation of plans, foundation works and brick laying, while 50 inmates were capacitated in seeding and transplanting of cabbages and onions;
Mutimurefu Prison in Masvingo Province, inmates were successfully capacitated with agro-based skills;
Inmates benefitted from agro-based skills at the 40-hectare wheat crop under the centre pivot irrigation facility at Hurungwe Prison in Mashonaland West Province;
The Chiredzi New Magistrate court complex is now 98 percent complete, while the Gwanda New Court complex is 63 percent complete; and
The Mtawatawa New Magistrates Court is 70 percent completion, while the testing of the Integrated Electronic Case Management System is ongoing.
The Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Honourable Zhemu Soda, highlighted the following achievements for projects under his purview:
Construction of 4×3-storey blocks of flats with 48 units in Dzivarasekwa, Harare have been completed and commissioned by President, Cde Mnangagwa;
Construction of 4×4-storey blocks of flats with 64 units in Marondera is now at 83% completion;
Construction of 19 civil servants housing units in Lupane has been completed;
Construction of 20 houses for Binga flood victims has been completed and construction of the other 17 houses is ongoing;
The construction of the Mtawatawa Waiting Mothers Shelter is ongoing; and
The ministry facilitated private sector projects such as the 723 stands and construction of 360 housing units of Batanayi Housing Project in Chinhoyi by National Social Security Authority of Zimbabwe, 36 Marondera flats and 10 Churchill cluster homes by FBC Building Society and 72 Crowborough Flats by Homelink.
PRINCIPLES OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT BILL
Cabinet considered and approved the principles of the National Archives and Records Management Bill as presented by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe.
Cabinet notes that amendment of the principal Act has been necessitated by the need to mordenise the operations of the National Archives of Zimbabwe and for the country to comply with international conventions standards. Furthermore, the amendments will improve the enforcement capacity of the National Archives of Zimbabwe.
The name of the department will be changed from “National Archives” to “National Archives and Records Management Service of Zimbabwe.” The Act will provide for the acquisition, storage, preservation and access to the documentary heritage of Zimbabwe, as well as expand the mandate of the National Archives of Zimbabwe when interacting with other institutions.
The amendment will make it mandatory for Ministries and institutions in possession of public records to deposit them with the National Archives of Zimbabwe.
Pertaining to access to public archives and public records, the principles provide for the following: access to archives in line with other relevant Acts; the doctrine of confidentiality; access shall not be unreasonably denied, with the director compelled to give reasons where he or she denies access to archives or public records in possession of National Archives of Zimbabwe; and the director should have access to historical records that have been declared protected, which may be in the possession of private collections and public institutions.
On the removal and/or exportation of public archives and records, Cabinet reports that Section 11 of the Principal Act unequivocally prohibits the exportation of public archives and records from Zimbabwe unless for official purposes. The minister, on recommendation by the director will issue permits for the temporary removal of archives from Zimbabwe.
The transfer of public archives and public records from an archive to another within Zimbabwe should be done with a permit issued by the director of the National Archives of Zimbabwe. Amendments also provide for the establishment of an Electronic Documents and Records Management System.
PRINCIPLE OF THE LOTTERIES AND GAMING AMENDMENT BILL
Cabinet considered and approved the principles of the Lotteries and Gaming Amendment Bill as presented by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe.
The amendment Bill incorporates anti-money laundering rules to promote responsible gambling and consumer protection by focusing on the accountability of individuals within gambling companies through imposition of financial penalties and other sanctions.
The name of the Lotteries and Gaming Board will be changed to the Gaming Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe. The board will advise and report to the minister who administers the Principal Act at all times in line with the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act (Chapter 10:31).
The functions of the board will be broadened to give the board more enforcement powers to ensure compliance. The terms of office and conditions of service of the members will be amended to align with the limit set by section 11(2) of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act.
Cabinet highlights that all board members and senior staff members will be required to declare their assets within three months after appointment or re-appointment or within two months after ceasing to be a member of that entity.
This is meant to ensure transparency and the avoidance of conflict of interests. Furthermore, the board will be mandated to establish and maintain an electronic, computer or communications system to send or receive data relating to the functioning of any gambling machine or device, betting or totalisator for the purpose of monitoring the operation of such machine or device, and for computation of revenues and taxes due to the board. Operators who fail to cooperate will be sanctioned with a fine and or imprisonment.
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