adminFortunate Gora Correspondent
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) in Mashonaland West Province is expecting to produce over 500 tonnes of maize this year after benefiting from the Government’s Command Agriculture Programme.
In an interview yesterday, ZPCS spokesperson for Mashonaland West Province Mr Peter Chaparanganda applauded Government for the programme, which has made his organisation food self-sufficient.
He said the ZPCS was expecting about 525 tonnes of maize from four of their farms in Mashonaland West province.
“Harvesting is currently underway with a projection of 3,5 tonnes per hectare. The tonnage we expect to harvest is more than what can be consumed by inmates in the province,” he said. The ZPCS has an 80ha farm in Hurungwe, 27ha in Kadoma, while the other farms are in Karoi (22ha) and Chinhoyi (21ha).
Mr Chaparanganda said Government’s Command Agriculture programme had boosted the food that is available for inmates.
“The Command Agriculture programme came as a relief to us. We are no longer burdening Government with requests for food for our inmates. Those funds are now being directed to other areas, which is a good development,” he said.
Last year, the ZPCS in Mashonaland West province also benefited from the Command Agriculture project and harvested 860 tonnes of maize, which is expected to feed the inmates till 2020. The grain was produced from 215ha, financed under the Government initiative.
The province, which usually produces enough to sustain its inmates has seen its stocks improving significantly and managed to assist provinces like Matebeleland that received poor rains last year.
Online Reporter