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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Government is set to introduce an Agriculture Recovery Plan that will see 5 000 highly productive irrigation farms receiving full support while 1, 6 million vulnerable households will be put under climate proofed Presidential Input Support Scheme, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said.

In a speach read on his behalf by Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, at the National Field Day celebrations held at First family’s Pricabe Farm on the outskirts of Kwekwe, VP Chiwenga said the new Government identified agriculture and food security as the top priority.

He said under the recovery plan, targeted farms will also receive uninterrupted power supplies and constant fuel supplies.

“Allow me to highlight that Cabinet has approved a Recovery Plan for boosting agricultural productivity. The recovery plan is premised on key components that include the Financial services sector led commercial contract farming programme targeting 5 000 highly productive farmers in irrigated areas. We will also introduce the climate proofed Presidential Input Support Scheme to 1, 6 million vulnerable households,” said VP Chiwenga.

The Vice President said the programme, which will be introduced in the 2020/21 farming season will also introduce the preplanting producer price announcement and create a Lowveld Maize Belt.

“Creation of Lowveld Maize Belt covering Masvingo, Bulawayo and Kanyemba areas will afford the country both summer and winter maize production,” he said.

He also urged Zimbabweans to emulate the First family which he said was fully utilising land. The First citizens have 400 hectares of maize, 200 hectares of soya beans, 5 hectares of sugar beans and 12, 5 hectares under potatoes.

They are expecting between 12 and 15 tonnes of maize per hectare.