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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Reporter

During the 2020/2021 season, urban and peri-urban agriculture contributed about 1 percent to the total production of cereals in the country, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Oliver Chidawu has said.

Launching the Presidential Inputs Scheme in Hopley today, Minister Chidawu said the programme was meant to support a crucial farming concept for attaining food self-sufficiency.

“The Agricultural Recovery Plan which was put in place by Government with various agricultural practices is meant to guarantee household food self-sufficiency.

“Climate change has been affecting food security globally and Harare has not been spared. Pfumvudza is a concept that is aimed at climate proofing agriculture through adoption of conservation farming principles,” he said.

Minister Chidawu said the Pfumvudza concept utilises small pieces of land measuring 39m by 16m and if proper agronomic practices are applied, farmers will get high returns.

“During the 2020/2021 season, some farmers in Harare Metropolitan Province managed to harvest 52 buckets of maize grain from one plot, enough to feed a family of five throughout the year. From the second plot, some households managed to deliver more than one tonne of grain to GMB thereby strengthening our grain reserve,” he said.