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Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
The Visiting Malawian Minister of Lobin Clarke Lowe has commended the collaboration between Zimbabwean Government and the private sector which has seen the intensification of research in the agriculture sector to ensure national food and nutrition security.

He said this after touring the SeedCo Rattary Arnold Research station in Goromonzi.

Minister Lowe was accompanied by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, water and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka, Minister of state for Mashonaland East Apollonia Munzverengi, Malawian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Annie Yauka Kumwenda, SeedCo managing director Mr Edward Mhandu, senior Government officials and agriculture scientists.

The team toured several demonstration plots of varieties of crops that being bred by the seed house that include rice, soyabeans, sugarbeans, sorghum, onions and cabbages among other hybrid crop varieties.

During the tour, Minister Lowe commended SeedCo for its role in seed multiplication and urged other companies to emulate this to ensure food and nutrition security.

“I commended SeedCo for the wonderful job. Back home we are investing a lot in research. I wish we had stakeholders and partners like SeedCo. Such collaboration will not only help the country but the region as a whole,” he said.

Minister Masuka also applauded the seed house for its innovative work.

He urged SeedCo to align to the Agriculture Food Systems Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy. Minister Masuka also expressed concern over low yields which he said should be addressed from the agricultural colleges and universities.

SeedCo managing director Mr Edworks Mhandu said SeedCo was answering the clarion call by the Ministry to boost agriculture production and ensure national food security.