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Ellen Chasokela Herald Reporter
Government is committed to ensuring improved access, availability and appropriateness of agricultural financing to farmers.

This was said by Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos during an Annual general meeting of the Federation of Young Farmers Clubs in Zimbabwe (FYFCZ) in Harare recently.

“The Government will continue to embark on the Command Agriculture Programme and this year we have brought more partners in the form of financial institutions to support, increase efficiencies and improve overall service delivery to our farmers including the insistence that our young farmers also benefit from the programme.

“This pre-season conference sees us meeting to hear and receive the resolutions of this AGM as well as the implementation of the Young Farmers Development Programme under the three-year strategy framework. I hope this meeting will come up with resolutions that ensure the young farmers benefit from the Government programmes,’’ he said.

Deputy Minister Haritatos said Government will be launching more mechanisation programmes like the John Deere Programme.

“Agriculture finance and credit is crucial for agriculture production. Government is set to launch mechanisation programmes which will improve access by farmers to mechanisation with the young farmers being part of the beneficiaries.

“My Ministry will support the three-year strategy framework as we wish to see individual young farmers transforming their enterprises into large agro organisations and with this I am certain that an agricultural revolution is upon us.

“Government is committed to ensuring that young people are integrated into the agriculture sector across the whole value chain. My ministry is promoting you mainstreaming in all its programming in line with Sustainable Development Goals and contributing towards making our country a middle income economy by 2030,’’ said Deputy Minister Haritatos.