Mr Chabikwa
Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter
Preparations for the 2017-18 agricultural season have started with most farmers expressing interest in joining the Command Agriculture programme.
According to farmers’ unions, registration for the programme has started.
Most farmers are interested in producing maize and soyabeans under Command Agriculture.
Some farmers who have resources have already started land preparations while others are winding up harvesting and processing their summer crops.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union president Mr Abdul Nyathi said farmers were ready for the 2017/18 summer cropping season and most of the farmers who were not part of the Command Agriculture Programme last year, are willing to go with it.
“Land preparations are underway. There is so much enthusiasm on Command Agriculture and farmers in the southern provinces are waiting for Command Livestock. At last, Government has come up with a programme to empower the both crop and livestock farmers,” he said.
“Command Agriculture has set a precedence that if all stakeholders are brought together we can produce impressive results. We depend on each other. If a bank supports the farmer, it will create a market. The farmer cannot do without funders and vice versa.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president, Mr Wonder Chabikwa, said preparations were underway with some farmers who had cleared their debts registering for new contracts under Command Agriculture and other companies.
“Farmers are paying their loans through stop order system at the Grain Marketing Board. Most of the farmers are registering to be considered for Command Agriculture next season. The programme has put the farmer back into business and most farmers now want to join the programme.
“We are advising farmers to register early as the programme is on first come first serve basis,” he said.
Mr Chabikwa said there was need for irrigation equipment and machinery rehabilitation, especially in the southern provinces as the season will start late.
“Farmers should have rehabilitated irrigation equipment and machinery,” he said.
Command Agriculture is credited for being one of the initiatives by Government that led to a bumper harvest of maize realised in the 2016/17 farming season.
Under the programme, farmers are given inputs and other requirements in return for delivery of five tonnes to GMB.
The programme has since been extended to soyabeans, livestock, fisheries and wildlife.