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Herald Reporter
Cabinet has approved the report on the state of preparedness for the 2021-2022 agricultural season, partly anchored on helping rural communities to revamp and industrialise their projects.

The report was presented by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga who chairs the Cabinet committee on food security and nutrition.

“The nation is informed that the 2021/22 summer programme’s strategic objective is to sustainably increase crop production and productivity to meet and surpass the national requirements for both human consumption and industrial use,” said Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

She said the plan will be achieved through the implementation of the Agriculture Recovery Plan anchored on timely provision of inputs such as fertilisers, seed, fuel and agrochemicals, consistent supply of key utilities such as power, fuel and water to farmers.

The involvement of the private and financial services sectors, continuous support for the targeted farmers with irrigation and mechanisation services to improve efficiencies and climate proofing, and strengthening Government-wide coordination, monitoring and evaluation, among other  concerns.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the Government will finance the Presidential Crop and Livestock Input Schemes through Treasury and provide Government default guarantee for programmes funded through local financial institutions.

The 2021-2022 season, she said, would witness the operationalisation of the Rural Presidential Horticulture Plan.

“The plan will target priority fruit trees, namely: passion fruit (Granadilla), pecan nuts, apple, guava, mango, lemon, avocado pears and macadamia.

“Each targeted household will be given 10 trees of each fruit variety, depending on suitability of the fruit tree to the agro-ecological regions and potential income to be generated.

“The first phase running to December 2021 has a target of 500 000 seedlings. In addition, a total of 35 000 gardens will be established, and each will be equipped with a solar borehole, cattle water trough and an ablution facility. Each garden will cater for a village, school or youth ward centre,” she said.

Other strategies in the crops sector, said Minister Mutsvangwa, include the localisation of tobacco financing in order to optimise the net export benefits to 30 percent from the current 12,5 percent.

The tobacco sector will be provided with seed money to the tune of US$60 million in order to establish a revolving fund for the local financing of tobacco to be a success.

In the livestock sector, the strategic objective of the 2021-2022 Livestock Development Plan is to sustainably increase livestock production and productivity to meet and surpass the national requirements for both human consumption and industrial use.