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George Maponga in Masvingo

Chiredzi West National Assembly member Cde Farai Msikavanhu has implored Zimbabweans to optimally utilise their land to help the nation quickly attain its Vision 2030 targets.

Cde Msikavanhu exhorted Zimbabweans to heed President Mnangagwa’s call for locals to develop their own country by fully utilising land which the legislator says has the potential to spur the nation on a growth trajectory as it angles for upper middle income society status by 2030.

Speaking to the media during a tour of his Puwevhu Enterprises farm in Mkwasine, south-east of Chiredzi town, the Chiredzi West legislator said land remains a key resource at the centre of the country’s development agenda hence it should be fully utilised.

”The land that we got at a huge cost through the war of liberation should be fully utilised so that we help our nation meet its targets that were set by President Mnangagwa who has been consistent that only Zimbabweans can develop their country(Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo). We must fully utilise the land we have so that we have enough for local consumption and for export,”said Cde Musikavanhu.

An aerial view of Puwevhu Farm owned by Chiredzi West parliamentarian Cde Farai Msikavanhu at Mkwasine estates in Chiredzi

”President Mnangagwa has repeatedly implored us to put our hands on the deck and utilise every piece of land especially that land which is close to water bodies so that we grow various crops under irrigation, that is the best way to contribute to the development of our country.”

Cde Msikavanhu says a mixed farming enterprise, Puwevhu boasts of a swashbuckling sugar cane plantation comprised of various blocks,an area under the staple maize crop and pockets that are under verdant lucerne. The farm also has a small portion that is under garlic.

The farm, which has adopted a strict model of making sure that all by-products from the venture are fully utilised, also boasts a burgeoning hybrid goat production project,a poultry project stocked with indigenous birds that also produce eggs.

”We are planning to replicate the Presidential Poultry scheme here in Chiredzi West and we have potential to given every homestead chicks within eight months from the poultry project that we are running here,”said Cde Msikavanhu.

The beef herd at the farm which is only a few numbers short of 100 banks on  feed made from the lucerne grass which is slowly becoming a crop of choice at Puwevhu.

”We have several rules here that we strictly adhere to that have seen us recording an average sugarcane yield per hectares of around 110 tonnes and the rule is that every drop of water is precious and must be preserved.”