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The Herald, September 19, 1992

THE District Development Fund will receive an additional 84 new tractors from the Government this month to complement the 200 already distributed to all provinces for use by communal farmers who have no draught power.

The Senior Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Cde Joseph Msika, speaking in Parliament on Tuesday on tillage operations, said the 84 tractors, however, would not be enough to plough as many hectares as the people in need of assistance would want.

To cover as many households as possible and having regard to the limited number of tractors available, the DDF would plough only two hectares per family.

At the same time, tillage charges had been reduced from $70 per hectare to $35 for families who can afford to pay.

The Government has decided to provide free tillage to communal and resettlement farmers who have completely lost their draught power and cannot afford to pay for the service. At least 1.6 million hectares will be tilled this season.

Of the 200 deployed tractors, Manicaland received 27, Mashonaland East, Central and West received 26 each, the Midlands 30, Masvingo 25, Matabeleland North and South received 20 each.

“We are sparing no effort to increase the number of tractors and the spares needed to maintain them so as to assist as many households as possible for the planting season,” Cde Msika said.

The measures, although inadequate in themselves to bring tillage relief to all the 800 000 households known to need the service, would significantly contribute towards the recovery and revitalisation of agriculture in communal and resettlement areas.

Cde Msika urged farmers not to wait for the Government assistance, but to try all means at their disposal to ensure that they are ready for planting at the onset of the rains.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Tractors are an important equipment in agriculture. They make land preparation less stressful.

The provision of tractors through a State entity such as the District Development Fund is essential for the equitable distribution of limited resources in all the countries provinces.

Government has done a lot to ensure the availability of agricultural equipment to farmers through the Belarus Mechanisation Facility.