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Enacy Mapakame Business Reporter

The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) will establish fresh produce markets for 35 000 village gardens to be established across the country and ensure production is market-led.

Officially launching the Presidential Rural Horticulture Scheme in Njijika village, Matabeleland South, President Mnangagwa said the scheme was part of the Government’s efforts to improve rural economies and end poverty in the countryside.

“Villagers no longer have the burden of sourcing a market for their produce. AMA has been given the responsibility to do marketing for the villagers,” he said.

When operating at full capacity, each garden is expected to generate a gross income of US$16 3000 for each village.

The nutrition gardens are part of community integrated farming hubs consisting of solar powered borehole, fowl run for free ranch, fish ponds, orchard and apiculture around the water source.

At the launch, the President sold the first bundle of spinach produced in the garden to off-takers. AMA has already started establishing offtake agreements with buyers of fresh produce.

The transformation of the rural economy speaks to President Mnangagwa’s development agenda, which is leaving no one and no place behind.

The scheme, which will now be referred to as the Presidential Rural Development Programme, will be spread across the country, targeting 35000 villages.

During the same event, AMA donated 10 000 fruit trees towards the Presidential Rural Horticulture Scheme aimed at mainstreaming rural farming communities into citrus value chains.

The fruit trees are mango, orange and nutjies

The donation is in support of the Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan (2020 -2025), which aims to facilitate the production of horticultural products such as fruits and vegetables for export and local consumption in a bid to revamp the agricultural sector.

The HRGP focuses on two broad areas namely private sector-led horticulture development interventions and Presidential rural horticulture development interventions.

The household fruit tree distribution, targeting 1,8 million households, will target priority fruit trees namely mango, orange, lemon, avocado, macadamia, pecan nuts.

Each targeted household will be given 10 trees of a fruit tree variety that is suitable to the agroecological regions.

AMA Chief Executive officer Mr Clever Isaya said “The Authority is committed to support the national development agenda that seeks to achieve food security and self-sufficiency.

This donation dovetails with the President ED Mnangagwa mantra of leaving nothing, no one, no place behind as we journey towards Vision 2030.