Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Reporter
TRADITIONAL leaders in Tsholotsho have received a boost ahead of this year’s farming season following a donation of small grain seeds by Zanu-PF second secretary and vice-president of the party, Cde Kembo Mohadi on Wednesday.
The donation is part of President Mnangagwa’s support for farmers under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme.
Over 500 village heads, 19 headmen, and seven chiefs from the district received 2kg of millet and the same quantity for sorghum seed during a brief ceremony held at the Roman Catholic Church premises in Tsholotsho Business Centre.
The Pfumvudza/Intwasa model is aimed at climate-proofing agriculture by adopting conservation farming techniques and involves use of small plots and applying the correct agronomic practices for higher returns.
The programme, designed mainly for small-scale farmers, is benefiting households in the communal, A1, small-scale commercial farming and old resettlement sectors.
Under the programme, each farming household gets an input package comprising 10kg maize seed, 5kg sorghum, 5kg pearl millet, 5kg soya beans, 2kg sunflower/castor beans and 5kg sugar beans.
The seed types and varieties depends on the farming region.
During the 2021/22 farming season, the number of farmers that subscribed to the programme increased from 1,5 million to 2,4 million.
Speaking after the donation, Tsholotsho South and North House of Assembly representatives, Cdes Musa Ncube and Retired Brigadier General Sibangumuzi Khumalo said the support will enhance harvests and go a long way in complementing the Presidential Input Scheme, which has already recorded immense success stories across the country since its implementation.
“This donation came from the vice-president of our party, Zanu-PF, Cde Kembo Mohadi.
It is for our traditional leaders here in Tsholotsho as part of support for President Mnangagwa’s Intwasa programme so that they can start their preparations for farming early,” said Cde Ncube.
“He gave them small grains because he realised that our area is generally dry with little rains for the better part of the rain season and these small grains can withstand such conditions.”
Cde Ncube said the donation was enough for all village heads as well as 19 headmen and seven chiefs in the district.
“Each of our traditional leaders will get 2kgs of millet and the same quantity of sorghum seed, which will give them a planting area of one hectare from the 2kgs millet seeds and half a hectare for sorghum.
In a hectare, a farmer can harvest about 20 bags.
We really want to thank our vice-president for this unexpected but indeed kind gesture,” said Cde Ncube.
Rtd (Brig) Gen Khumalo, who is also the Minister of State in the office of Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, said: “It’s indeed wonderful that the vice-president remembers and realises that our lives are dependent on crop farming and he brought us seed that does not easily succumb to drought.
“These seeds can withstand a dry spell of almost a month.”
Cde Mohadi was in Tsholotsho where he met different stakeholders as part of his national tour of party structures.
Prior to the seed presentation, he introduced the party’s Tsholotsho District Co-ordinating Committee members led by chairman Cde Ronald Tshuma to the traditional leaders.
Other members of the Tsholotsho DCC include Tshuma’s deputy, Cde Tapson Sibanda, secretary for administration Cde Melusi Ndebele, secretary (finance) Cde Jabulani Nkomo, political commissar Kosam Ndlovu as well as transport and welfare secretary Cde Esau Siwela.
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