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Fungai Lupande
Mash Central Bureau
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) in Mashonaland Central has put 219 hectares of land under maize production and expects a bumper harvest of 1 533 tonnes, which is enough to feed all the prisons in the province. The production rate was last achieved in the 2016/2017 agriculture season.
ZPSC Commissioner General Moses Chihobvu visited farm prisons in the Mashonaland Central province on his familiarisation visit and to assess the production rate.
He expressed satisfaction at the production rate at Kingston Farm in Bindura and in Mt Darwin, adding they are expecting a bumper harvest on their 24 farms across the country.
“This agricultural season we are going to have enough to feed inmates and we are expecting a better yield on all our farms compared to previous years,” he said.
“I also visited Bindura Prison which is full. I am told the holding capacity is 200 but it has more than 300 inmates. We have implored the officer commanding ZPCS to encourage stakeholders and other security agencies to encourage those arrested for minor offences to be fined.
“We will be setting up a satellite prison at Kingston Farm. Given the infrastructure I have seen at the farm, we will be able to set up the prison and approach the Government for assistance with funds. For us to produce at that farm we need labour.”
Comm Gen Chihobvu took the opportunity to introduce his Deputy Commissioner Generals, Dr Granisia Musango and Christina Manhivi, to prison officers and inmates.
Officer-Commanding Mashonaland Central, Commissioner Charity Gezi, said it was critical to set up a satellite prison at Kingston Farm for increased production.
“His Excellency President Mnangagwa said ZPCS will no-longer benefit food from Government revenue because we have farms. It is difficult for us to ferry inmates every day to Kingston Farm,” she said.
“Kingstone Farm was acquired late last year and has 230 hectares with 131 hectares arable land. We did not manage to utilise all the land because some of the settlers had already planted. We managed to plant 50 hectares of maize.” Chief Correctional Officer Nesbert Chitiyo, who is also the farm manager, said they are planning to set up an irrigation system at Kingston Farm which is close to Pote River after securing a 100 horse power water pump, sprinklers, lateral lines and pipe.
“What is outstanding is a transformer. We have plans to venture into commercial horticulture. If we can turn our farms into massive production and we can sell the surplus and develop our farms thereby reducing our financial demand from Government.”
“We also have 20 hectares of soya beans and eight hectares of cow peas which is important for protein nutrients for the inmates.”
Online Reporter
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