Manicaland to receive inputs

Samuel Kadungure Senior Farming Reporter
MANICALAND Province is set to receive its allocation of agricultural inputs for the 2014/15 season under the Government Inputs Scheme meant to enhance household food security in four sectors of smallholder farming communities. The provincial Agritex Officer for Manicaland Mr Godfrey Mamhare revealed on Wednesday that the food security enhancing pool was meant for old resettlement, A1, communal and small-scale commercial farmers. Mr Mamhare said beneficiary farmers would get 1 x 10kg of seed maize and a 50kg bag of ammonium nitrate and compound D, respectively.

However, Finance Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa recently said each beneficiary would also receive a 2kg packet of soya-beans, tick grease and wound powder which are aimed at assisting farmer to improve livestock quality. The Manica Post understands that 279 000 households will benefit under the scheme.

“The seed maize allocation will benefit 276 538 households in Manicaland. Each household will receive 10kg of seed maize. The province was also allocated 310 924 x 50kg of ammonium nitrate as well as compound D fertilisers. In the 2013-14 farming season, Manicaland was allocated 12 600 tonnes of compound D fertiliser, 12 000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and 2 213 tonnes of seed maize. The agricultural inputs will be distributed through the Grain Marketing Board and were being distributed by local committees being supervised by the existing local Government structures.

Mr Mamhare said beneficiaries would be vetted by the allocation committee, but was mum on the selection criteria, neither could he say when the allocation would be received. “This is a Government programme and the inputs will benefit the four sectors, but this should not stop farmers from sourcing their own inputs since the inputs may not be adequate. We expect farmers to augment Government efforts to enhance food security at household level. The assistance will go a long way in achieving that end with each beneficiary meeting the other part. It is better than nothing,” emphasised Mr Mamhare. The 10kg seed maize covers 0.5 of a hectare and a farmer will need at least 2 x 50kg bags of both compound D and ammonium nitrate, respectively, to feed it.

If the 0.5ha is well fed, a farmer in Region Four can harvest at least 8 x 50kg bags of maize. “This programme is designed to enhance food security and not for commercial purposes. The beneficiaries can produce enough to meet their requirements though there won’t be surplus for sale.”