adminMashonaland West Bureau
Women among the beneficiaries of the climate-proof Pfumvudza/Intwasa Agriculture Scheme exhibited at the annual Hurungwe West Constituency Green Show event at the weekend commended the scheme that has transformed the livelihoods of most farmers.
Since its inception, the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Agriculture Scheme has transformed the lives of communal and urban farmers throughout the country with the Hurungwe district recording huge figures for various grains and cotton.
The green show saw women from the constituency exhibiting their produce under various categories at Matau Primary School in the Zvipani area over the weekend.
One exhibitor, Ms Pauline Muzira said the introduction of Pfumvudza had provided a new lease of life for most women and families in the area that were not being spared by climate change effects.
“We are exhibiting here because we managed to do more crops as a result of Pfumvudza farming. Unlike the previous years, most families are food secure as you witnessed from the exhibition stands,” she said.
Ms Muzira, Ms Mencillia Makena lauded President Mnangagwa for introducing communal farmers.
“Most women exhibited under maize, small grains and cotton categories of which all these crops are being supported under the Presidential Inputs Schemes.
“We are grateful to the President for the scheme and while we are here to battle it out for honours, every woman is a winner as witnessed by their harvests,” Ms Makena narrated.
Ms Nyarai Kachamaenza said the number of women who exhibited at this year’s show had tripled as a result of the benefits of Presidential Inputs Schemes. At least 150 women participated at the annual event last year.
Guest speaker, Youth in Agriculture Apex Council national chairman and 4-H Zimbabwe director, Mr John Muchenje commended the women for rallying behind President Mnangagwa’s call for Zimbabwe to be food secure.
“President Mnangagwa has introduced the Agriculture Recovery Plan and through various schemes, he is making sure that women are supported. Pfumvudza is among the programmes and I encourage you to prepare your land early to counter change,” said Muchenje.
Communal farmers, he said, were supposed to rally behind President Mnangagwa’s schemes to attain Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
Muchenje said his organisation which gets funding from the Japanese Embassy in Zimbabwe was reviving nutritional gardens in line with the nation’s Horticulture Recovery Plan across the country with eight already functional in Hurungwe West constituency supporting 400 families.
His organisation is drilling and installing solar-powered boreholes, fencing, vegetable seedlings and agronomic knowledge to the villager.
A farmer, Ms Nomhle Mliswa who also graced the event, said communal areas recorded few Covid-19 cases as villagers consume organic foods they produce while Zanu pf’s national women’s league secretary for finance, Cde Tsitsi Mugabe said President Mnangagwa had activated means for the nation to look for export markets that would absorb communal farmers produces.
Area legislator and Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said Hurungwe West was food secure
Various agricultural companies showcased their products and services at the event which was graced by local traditional chiefs while each exhibitor received prizes for exhibiting.
Online Reporter