Government dismisses farm equipment hoax

Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu

THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has dismissed as false a circulating message purporting that the Ministry received and has approved applications for tractors, through a Donation Committee.

According to the trending fake message, the committee is chaired by a Miss Catherine Mataku under a tractor programme being implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The note is also congratulating applicants and advising them that the tractors are currently registered under FAO, and that they should now liaise with the MO Head Office in Nairobi, Kenya before the tractor ownership is transferred into the applicant’s mane.

In a statement, the Ministry said there is no such scheme that is being implemented in partnership with FAO Nairobi in Kenya.

“The Ministry advises that FAO has no such e-mail, and neither the Ministry nor the FAO has such a delivery mechanism that is making use of a Donation Committee. The so-called Miss Catherine Makuta, and Chair of the said Donation Committee, is neither an employee of the Ministry nor of FAO,” said the Ministry.

“For the avoidance of doubt. the Ministry wishes to advise members of the public that the circulating note is fake and a scam to prey on unsuspecting members of the public who need productivity-enhancing equipment such as tractors. The Ministry is taking measures in partnership with the relevant authorities, and the culprits will be dealt with accordingly.”

The ministry said farmers should visit Agritex and Mechanization Department Offices for more information as the Government only works with specific banks for the distribution of agricultural machinery.

“The following are the only Government facilitated Mechanization schemes for the public to access mechanization equipment administered through commercial banks: Belarus Facility; Bain Facility; Local manufactured implements Facility; John Deere Facility and SmallhoWer/Pfumvudza Mechanization Facility. Under these facilities, the Government is only dealing with AFC and CBZ for the distribution of all the agricultural machinery.”