Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
THE Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) is optimistic about beating its Mashonaland West contracted target of 15 000 hectares, with farmers already having planted over 8 000 hectares.
The authority has set June 10 as the deadline for planting the cereal crop countrywide, where it expects to put 60 000 hectares of the cereal crop out of the targeted 120 000 hectares.
Arda’s Mashonaland West target is nearly 50 percent of the 35 000 hectares projected to be put under the winter wheat in the entire province.
Speaking on Saturday during a tour of Arda joint venture initiatives and farmers benefiting from the authority’s scheme by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, the authority’s acting director, Mr Foster Maodza said the nation was likely to surpass its national winter wheat target.
The committee toured Arda Doreen in Kadoma, where 115 hectares will be planted, and Musengi Farm in Zvimba, where youthful farmer Mr Tichaona Mapfoche has entered into a joint venture with 70 A1 farmers to put 750 hectares under the crop.
