Marapira defends early inputs distribution

Sydney Mubaiwa in Zaka
The Presidential Inputs Support Scheme kicked off early this year to give smallholder farmers enough time to prepare for the 2018/19 agricultural season, Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Davis Marapira has said.

He said the initiative had nothing to do with vote buying as alleged by some political parties, but was purely a Government programme to empower communal farmers countrywide.

Deputy Minister Marapira made the remarks while addressing some of the beneficiaries at Muroyi Primary School in Zaka last week, where he handed over 26 tonnes of maize seed and 120 tonnes of fertiliser to over 3 000 people.

“The programme was officially launched a few weeks ago in Bindura by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Perrance Shiri and will benefit over two million smallholder farmers countrywide,” said Cde Marapira.

“This early distribution of inputs shows the Government’s commitment to supporting our farmers with important production inputs to stimulate productivity.

“Let me make it very clear, that this is purely a Governmental programme, which should not be mistaken with campaign strategies to lure voters.”

He said agriculture was one of the country’s major economic development drivers.
The deputy minister said agriculture contributed immensely to employment creation and the supply of key raw material for the manufacturing and related sectors.

“Agricultural productivity is still a challenge in some areas due to a number of reasons among them the non-adherence to good agricultural practices,” said Cde Marapira. “One of the bad practices is late planting of crops necessitated by lack of inputs.

“As a Ministry, we decided to address the problem through early distribution of inputs. The scheme is meant to enable smallholder farmers to become food secure, at the same time addressing nutritional requirements at household level.”

Deputy Minister Marapira said the farmers should also register for Command Agriculture to boost agricultural productivity in their respective areas.