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Lawrence Chitumba Mash Central Correspondent
MASHONALAND Central Province is set to benefit from the $5 million Command Livestock Programme earmarked for six provinces which is being bankrolled by Homelink through Diaspora remittances.

The other provinces are Mashonaland East and West, Masvingo, Manicaland and Midlands, which were left out when Government launched the programme this year in Matabeleland’s two provinces, which are the natural livestock-producing regions.

Speaking during the Mashonaland Central agriculture training on the heifers scheme held in Bindura last week, Mashonaland Central provincial crops and livestock officer Mr Stancilae Tapererwa said the programme would be implemented on a first-come-first-serve basis since the funds were no longer enough to cater for the 1 250 heifers initially earmarked for the programme due to the prevailing economic environment.

“Our province is among the six provinces which will benefit from the $5 million Command Livestock Programme which is being bankrolled by Homelink through the Diaspora remittances,” he said.

“However, due to economic conditions prevailing in the country at the moment, that money can no longer purchase the 1 250 heifers initially earmarked for the programme.

“The programme will now be implemented on a first-come-first-serve basis.”

Mr Tapererwa said the unjustified price increases and the general negative economic conditions were affecting the Command Broiler Programme after chicks were delivered without the feeds as the prices were continuously going up.

He said they were looking at solutions to address the situation.