Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
OVER two million farmers have been trained under the Government’s Intwasa/Pfumvudza Programme to improve yields and guarantee food security in the launched the National 2021/22 Intwasa/Pfumvudza scheme in Gokwe North.
The programme will this season benefit 2,3 million households in communal, A1, small-scale, commercial farming and old resettlement sectors to produce cereals, oil seeds and legumes. Government adopted Intwasa/Pfumvudza to address the problem of low production and productivity which continued to negatively affect food security in Zimbabwe.
The concept promotes climate proofing agriculture by adopting conservation farming techniques and it involves the utilisation of small pieces of land and application of the correct agronomic practices for higher returns.
Statistics show that more than 8,6 million Zimbabweans are food insecure and the situation has been worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic whose impact disrupted many economic activities.
In her post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said 2,3 million farmers have already done the requisite land preparation.
“On preparations for the summer grains production season, over 2 million farmers have so far been trained under the Climate Proofed Presidential Inputs Pfumvudza/Intwasa Supply Scheme, while 2,3 million have already done the requisite land preparation which includes digging holes. Inputs distribution under the scheme is ongoing,” she said Minister Mutsvangwa said under the National Enhanced Agriculture Production Programme (NEAPS) or Command Agriculture, CBZ Agro Yield had so far contracted 66 598 hectares.
She said payment verifications were underway. Minister Mutsvangwa said Government was in the process of engaging private sector financiers to put in place measures to curb exchange rate losses as well as ensure interest rates remain at sustainable levels in order to curb side-marketing and reduce costs of production incurred by farmers.
She said local fertiliser companies will also be supported to make the commodity affordable through local production.
“Meanwhile, 113 477 tobacco growers have registered for the 2021/22 season, compared to 123 159 growers who registered during the same period last season. To date, a total of 24 682 hectares of tobacco have been planted, representing a 31 percent increase in the total area planted last season,” Minister Mutsvangwa said. Farmers are hopeful for an even better harvest this year as they received inputs on time under the Intwasa/Pfumvudza Programme.
Mr Gift Moyo from Sizeze area in Gwanda said he had finished preparing his land and was waiting for the rains in order to start planting.
“This time I have so much zeal as we get into the rain season as I now have the inputs in my hands. Government did a great thing for us this year as we received the inputs on time, before we started to receive the rains. Once we receive the first rains then I will immediately start planting and I’m certain that I will record a good harvest,” he said.
Another farmer, Ms Gugulethu Gumede said she had finished preparing her land and she had also planted maize seed on some of her land. She said she had prepared five plots under the Intwasa/ Pfumvudza programme.
Ms Gumede said she had received her inputs.
“We are grateful to Government for giving us inputs on time. As communal farmers we sometimes fail to grow crops because the price of buying seed is beyond our reach. The Government has come to our aid by giving us inputs for free and what we just have to provide is our labour.
“We are now able to feed our families through the Intwasa programme,” she said. Government has started distributing agricultural inputs to 20 000 urban farmers in Bulawayo for the 2021/22 farming season.
On Monday Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube launched the programme in North End Suburb in the city. Under the 2020/21 season, more than one million households across the country received inputs under the Government funded Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme.
This year Government has set the target of 2,8 million hectares of maize and traditional grains during the 2021/22 summer cropping season. The Government is targeting 540 000 households to put 103 630 hectares under sorghum to produce 487 296 tonnes.
For soya beans, Government is targeting 560 000 households to plant 20 000 hectares and produce 30 000 tonnes while 500 000 households are expected to plant 32 000 hectares of groundnuts and produce 32 000 tonnes. About 260 000 households are expected to put 49 9920 hectares under pearl millet and produce 124 800 tonnes. – @DubeMatutu.
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