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Conrad Mupesa Mash West Bureau
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday officially launched the 2023 Mashonaland West Pfumvudza/Intwasa winter wheat season at Mhondoro-Mubaira Business Centre.
The scheme seeks to support thousands of communal farmers including 4 000 in Chegutu, Mhondoro-Ngezi, and other areas where vlei wheat is produced.
Last year, 3 000 vlei winter wheat communal farmers from Chegutu and Mhondoro-Ngezi districts put at least 2 000 hectares under the crop which was delivered to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), contributing immensely to the annual national output of 375 000 metric tonnes (mt).
To mark the beginning of the winter wheat season, President Mnangagwa personally lifted and handed-over five bags of 25kg of seed to each of the five selected farmers from the district, much to the amusement and cheers from the crowd.
Part of the farmers received the inputs that included seed and top dressing fertiliser while the remainder will access their basal fertiliser today.
Addressing thousands of community members drawn from the two districts who had gathered to witness the commissioning of an upgraded Mhondoro Rural Hospital, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe had managed to successfully produce a bumper wheat harvest last season making it flour-sufficient.
“We have been food-secure for the past two successive years and I am confident that we will never source for grain from outside the country again if we fully utilise our dams and land.
“Unlike the previous seasons when we would send envoys to Ukraine to buy wheat for our consumption, last year, we managed to produce enough for the whole nation.
“The war pitting Ukraine and Russia taught us a lesson, we have managed to produce enough as a nation,” he said.
President Mnangagwa challenged Zimbabweans to contribute to the development of the nation adding that they should jealously safeguard the land which is endowed with various riches.
“Let’s fully utilise the land and develop this country for the generations to come.”
Acting provincial director of Agricultural and Recovery Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) Mr Passmore Nyikadzino said Pfumvudza wheat was a game-changer for the country’s wheat production.
“We are targeting at least 3 500 vlei wheat farmers from Chegutu district alone under which Mhondoro-Mubaira falls. Our targeted hectarage is 4 500 under the unirrigated crop,” he said.
The province has a total target of 35 000 hectares under the cereal crop.
“We are confident that we will meet and surpass the target as we managed to beat the 2022 target of 25 000 hectares and our communal farmers who do vlei wheat contributed significantly,” Mr Nyikadzino added.
Chegutu and Mhondoro-Ngezi farmers have already prepared their land with the distribution of inputs that started yesterday expected to kick-start the planting season.
The beneficiaries assured the President of another bumper harvest this year.
Mr Bonface Mangwiro of Ward 1 challenged his fellow community members to make use of the inputs they are receiving from the President for Zimbabwe to be food secure.
Ward 4 vlei wheat farmer, Ms Welcome Maponde, who had an acre of winter wheat last year, said she was hoping to have at least one hectare this season as distribution of inputs had commenced in earnest.
Vlei wheat farmers have been imploring the government for timeous distribution of inputs so as to meet the planting window period.
Online Reporter