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Sydney Mubaiwa in ZAKA

President Mnangagwa has warned farmers that abuse inputs being allocated by Government under the Command Agriculture programme and the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme that they will be punished severely.

Speaking during the launch of the Presidential Inputs Scheme distribution programme at Tshovane Stadium in Chiredzi last Saturday, President Mnangagwa said Government was aware of the projected harvest of all farmers under the scheme.

His remarks come in the wake of unconfirmed reports that some beneficiaries were selling fuel coupons and inputs allocated to them. “This time we have increased the variety of inputs that we give to the people. We have what we call traditional grains such as millet, rapoko and sorghum that we are giving to our people for free,” he said.

“We are also distributing fertilisers, cotton seed and chemicals. You must make sure that you put these inputs to good use. We do not condone any forms of abuse or corruption on these inputs.”

“If you receive inputs under this programme, be honest and truthful. We don’t want corruption. We will always catch up with you and we will not hesitate to take action.”

He said the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme was meant to enable smallholder farmers to become self-sufficient as well as address nutritional requirements at household level.

He said each farmer was going to get a 50kg bag of Ammonium Nitrate, a 50kg bag of Compound D, 10kg seed maize and a 10kg bag of small grains.

President Mnangagwa said climate change was negatively impacting agricultural productivity and Government was working on initiatives such as irrigation schemes to mitigate against such challenges.

In Masvingo province over 800 000 households are expected to benefit from the programme. During former and the late president Robert Mugabe’s era, the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme had become an easy target with beneficiaries selling their inputs and lining their pockets at the expense of production.