Chronicle Editor
Farirai Machivenyika, Harare Bureau
AGRICULTURAL equipment worth US$20 million already unloaded at Durban, South Africa will be delivered to Zimbabwe soon as part Government efforts to ensure farmers are properly equipped.
The equipment is awaiting release once Government provides the letters of credit and guarantees.
This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa while presenting the 43rd Cabinet meeting decision matrix yesterday.
She said Cabinet was briefed on the development by Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri as part of his ministry’s targets in the fourth 100-day cycle.
Apart from the mechanisation equipment, Cabinet was also briefed on progress on irrigation expansion with the installation of eight giant centre pivot irrigation units.
Irrigation and mechanisation are seen as long term solutions to improve productivity.
“The Minister (Minister Shiri) informed Cabinet that equipment worth US$20 million intended for the mechanisation development project is now in Durban, awaiting the letter of credit and guarantee from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Cabinet was also briefed on irrigation expansion.
“The Minister (Cde Shiri) informed Cabinet that the installation of eight 40 hectare centre pivot irrigation units under the irrigation development project had been completed and that two of the three contracts on solar power generation and pumping stations had been signed for the Kanyemba Irrigation Scheme,” she said.
Minister Shiri also informed Cabinet that 100 former white former commercial farmers had been compensated.
“Pertaining to relief payment to former farm owners, Treasury has since released US$53 million, and 100 former white farmers have been compensated,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
The compensation of the former white commercial farmers for the improvements they made on the land they farmed has been prioritised by President Mnangagwa as part of measures to bring finality to the land reform programme.
Minister Shiri also briefed Cabinet that his ministry had vaccinated 46 000 dogs out of the targeted 50 000 dogs countrywide under the rabies control programme.
Online Reporter