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In the past, the Government has been castigated by farmer unions and farmers over its failure to adequately fund the sector which used to be the backbone of the economy.
Minister Biti said of the facility, $60 million was earmarked to pay debts owed to seed houses and fertilizer companies.
“For the 2012/2013 agriculture season we are working on a $150 million facility to improve production,” he said.
“Of the facility, $15 million will be for the payment of arrears in delivered grain such as wheat and maize.”
He said $40 million would go towards payment of grain deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board during the 2011/12 marketing season.
“$10 million will be set aside for livestock production, while the rest will be used to purchase inputs for vulnerable families.”
He said Government was also engaging the donor community to avail more funding for the agriculture sector in the forthcoming season.
“We are also discussing with donors and they have indicated that they will provide between $50 million and $70 million for the 2012/13 farming season,” he said.
Over the years, Government has failed to unveil farming inputs timeously.
Since independence to the late 1990s, Zimbabwe was Africa’s food basket, a status it has now lost owing to droughts, economic sanctions and low funding by Government. — New Ziana.
Online Reporter