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Elton Manguwo
AS the country pushes to replicate the 2023 wheat season feat of achieving flour self-sufficiency, the Government has assured farmers of uninterrupted power supplies in the forthcoming winter wheat season as the country aims at maintaining wheat self-sufficiency.
Speaking during the winter wheat pre-planting session held in Banket last week the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Dr John Basera said the winter wheat cycle requirement was 120 megawatts adding that the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) had ring-fenced the required electricity for wheat production clusters in the country.
“All the dominoes and processes have been lined up so that the 120 megawatts are availed specifically for the winter wheat growing areas,” he said highlighting that prioritisation of the wheat sub-sector is set to ensure that the country has a successful season.
Last year, the Government introduced clustering, which saw farmers getting uninterrupted electricity supply in the first three months of the wheat production season.
“It is Government’s role is to make sure that there is constant power supply, fuel supply, and water to the wheat production clusters,” said Dr Basera.
With planting of the 2023 winter wheat already underway in some part of the country, farmers have called on Zesa to provide uninterrupted electricity to allow the nation to achieve the target of 408 000 tonnes from 85 000 hectares.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has been working closely with Zesa and Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) to ensure they are adequately prepared for wheat production.
Meanwhile, Dr Basera has also urged farmers to pay their electricity bills to ensure the power utility Zesa is also equipped to supplement its output with imports.
“As farmers we need to honour our payments so that the supply authority can be capacitated to procure the needed electricity from neighbouring countries,” he said. Recently, Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda said that they would prioritise wheat production by setting aside some energy towards winter wheat.
“Despite possible shortages, priority is being given to wheat production with farmers needing guaranteed electricity supply to pump water for irrigation,” he said.
With the Government targeting to increase wheat production to meet the national requirements in line with the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, electricity supply will key in achieving the set target.
In its 2023/24 Summer and Winter Crop and Livestock programme, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development said the wheat crop would be supported through private contractors, Government’s National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme (NEAPS), Presidential wheat support scheme and self-financed growers.
“The 2023/24 summer and the 2023 winter season programme target is to sustainably increase crop production and productivity to meet and surpass the national requirements for both human consumption and industrial use,” said Dr Basera.
Online Reporter