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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
Boosting wheat production has been identified as one of the effective ways of guaranteeing food security and sovereignty in Zimbabwe.
Because of the El-Nino-induced drought, Government has taken a deliberate policy position to increase wheat hectarage as a way of boosting the country’s food stocks.
Various interventions were put in place to ensure a successful winter wheat season with power utility, ZESA, and water supplier ZINWA, assuring farmers of adequate supplies.
Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services acting director Mr Leonard Munamati said the target to produce over 600 000 tonnes should be met this season.
“If we manage to grow 120 000ha of wheat at an average yield of 5,2 tonnes per ha this means over 600 000 tonnes of wheat can be produced. About 10 000 tonnes of maize is earmarked to be produced by October 2024. Each province has been given a target to be achieved based on the availability of irrigated areas as well as available water for irrigation. These targets are further broken down into districts according to their capacities,” he said.
Wheat is going to be grown under the Government’s National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme, where farmers are contracted and funded by banks such as Agro Yield, NMB and AFC and these have a target of 30 000ha.
On the other hand, the Food Crop Contractors Association is targeting 25 000ha, while under ARDA, 2 000 ha will be grown on its estates as well as supporting irrigation schemes under the Presidential Input Scheme (PIP) to the tune of 15 000ha.
ARDA is also going to put 43 000ha under wheat through a join venture.
The PIP programme is for smallholder farmers who do less than five ha and these are targeted for 5 000ha.
Mr Munamati said they have organised farmers into clusters to ring-fence them on electricity supplies, adding that ZINWA has also prioritised wheat farmers.
Stakeholder meetings have started to ensure pre-planting meetings towards the attainment of food security in the country.
These meetings provide farmers with a platform to interact with service providers as well as various funders so that they get the necessary support.
Mr Munamati said availing of inputs and contracting of farmers should be done on time to allow farmers to prepare adequately, adding that President Mnangagwa has directed that all payments for last season’s delivered wheat should be finalised this month.
In an interview, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Professor Obert Jiri said stakeholders, including those in the private sector will be involved to ensure that the targeted 120 000 hectares are achieved.
“In terms of mechanisation, there is enough capacity to adequately and timeously till the 120 000 hectares. Government has acquired 56 combine harvesters from AFC Leasing Company and it has also imported 107 combine harvesters to ensure a successful winter wheat season,” Prof Jiri said.
He also indicated that the country has enough wheat seed and chemicals for the 2024 winter production season, adding that there is enough water in the country’s dams to irrigate the winter crop.
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