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Monaliso Chikwengo

THE restructured Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) is fast operationalising its new mandate of spearheading rural development and industrialisation (RDI) with agriculture as the primary tool.

This was revealed by ARDA chief executive officer Mr Tinotenda Mhiko in a speech read on his behalf by director Mr Dominic Sadziwa at a chillies field day held last Friday at Nyahondo Farm in Banket, Mashonaland West.

“Sometime in 2020 ARDA was restructured and given the new mandate of spearheading RDI through supply of raw materials from the agriculture sector.

“It was also assigned to be the vehicle for sustained production of national food, feed, fiber, bio-fuels and seed security,” said Mr Mhiko.

Mr Mhiko disclosed that ARDA’s activities were anchored on the other pillar of agriculture and agro-industrial development in addition to RDI.

Over 450 smallholder irrigation schemes dotted across the country are now managed by ARDA and these have been seen tremendous productivity and production gains.

A case in point is the increased yield and production from small-scale farmers in Matabeleland South province’s ARDA Antelope Irrigation Scheme.

A 20-year old lady from the scheme managed 6, 9 tonnes of wheat from her one hectare, thanks to the positive impact of the Government’s Presidential Input Scheme (PIS) as well as good agronomic practices leant from ARDA.

ARDA is also spearheading the Presidential Horticulture Programme (PHP) wherein a total of 35 000 one-hectare horticulture garden plots need to be established.

Each village will have one nutritional garden.

ARDA was also mandated to run the youth incubation hubs in each province where it is managing youth skills development centres, as well as dairy programmes. Under the dairy banner ARDA is working with smallholder farmers to manage several dairy schemes.

The Hub and Spoke model is also taking centre stage under RDI with ARDA being the core estate surrounded by several out-growers.

“This model ensures that everyone with an interest in farming is taken on board, ensuring that no one and no place is left behind,” said Mr Mhiko”

For food security ARDA has several estates across the country under various crops.

For seed development ARDA is now home to climate smart varieties such as sunflower, cotton, sorghum.

ARDA has also initiated the joint venture (JV) programme with farmers who might have land but don’t have the financial resources to do the farming.

They will assist in mobilising the resources, as well as do the farming activities for those who might not have the skills.

“We are calling upon farmers who have the land but don’t have the financial or production resources to approach our offices that are dotted across the country to agree on a working arrangement,” added Mr Mhiko.