Mat North rolls out inputs

Andile Tshuma Bulawayo Bureau—

MATABELELAND North province has started distributing seed and fertiliser under the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme while in Matabeleland South distribution is set to commence soon.Matabeleland North Provincial Social Welfare Officer Mr Mcnon Chirinzepi yesterday said seed and fertiliser distribution for the 2016-17 farming season had already commenced in the province.

“The Presidential Inputs Programme is being spearheaded through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and it has commenced. We are already giving out seed. All our districts in Matabeleland North have already started distributing,” he said.

Mr Chirinzepi said over 86 500 households in Matabeleland North province were set to benefit.

He said distribution was being conducted using the same system as the drought relief food aid distribution which is ongoing.

Mr Chirinzepi said each household would receive a 50kg bag of Compound D fertiliser and a 10kg pocket of maize seed or 5kg of sorghum.

He said non-governmental organisations were complementing the Government’s efforts as they were also reaching out to vulnerable households through cash transfers, food aid and farming inputs.

Matabeleland South Provincial Administrator Ms Sithandiwe Ndumo-Ncube yesterday said her province had also received seed and fer- tiliser.

“Farming inputs have since been made available in all our seven districts in Matabeleland South province. However, we are still waiting for more as the tonnage we currently have is not enough for everyone,” she said.

The provincial leaders expressed their gratitude for the timely availing of the inputs as the rainy season had just commenced. In previous years, inputs were usually made available late into the rainy season and would disadvantage farmers as they would start planting late.

The distribution of agricultural inputs under the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme is set to benefit over 600 000 households nationwide this year.

The scheme, which targets about 1,4 million communal farmers and vulnerable families, will complement the Command Agriculture programme under which Government is expected to finance 400 000 hectares of maize this season.