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Conrad Mupesa

Mashonaland West Bureau

Farmers should expedite land preparations if Mashonaland West Province is to meet its target of 325 000 tonnes of grains and 65 000 tonnes of oil seeds under the Pfumvudza programme.

This was said by Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos yesterday, while launching the provincial Pfumvudza programme at Mareverwa Homestead in Zvimba District’s Ward 28.

The national targeted average yield is 1,8 million tonnes of cereals and 360 000 tonnes of oil seeds.

Under Pfumvudza, the Government seeks to boost household food security and consequently ensure national food security, a development that will reduce or eliminate the import bill.

Deputy Minister Haritatos, who was accompanied by Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, said the province would meet the target if farmers prepare land before the coming of the first rains.

“For farmers and the province to benefit from the Pfumvudza Concept and reach the target, they should expedite the preparation of planting holes for three plots as well as mobilise mulch for the same plots,” he said.

“If farmers are to follow all the advice given, these three plots should enable them to be food and nutrition self-sufficient as well as contribute towards the national strategic grain reserve.

“Being the bread basket of the country, we are targeting 162 500 households which translates to 325 000 plots to benefit from maize production; 8 000 plots with sorghum; 24 000 plots of soyabeans; and 23 000 plots of sunflower.”

Of the 529 extension officers trained in the province, 43 workers and supervisors received motorbikes to improve mobility so that they reach all farmers while 1 000 more bikes were at Chirundu Border Post awaiting clearance.

Deputy Minister Haritatos said for an upper middle income economy to be attained in line with Vision 2030, there was need to work together to ensure coordinated production, strong supply chains, marketing and financing of the agriculture sector through various initiatives.

Minister Mliswa-Chikoka rallied communities to help the elderly with manpower for the intended target to be reached.

She said Zanu PF was going to mobilise youths in all the seven districts of the province to support the elderly in land preparations.

Minister Mliswa-Chikoka said only those farmers that have prepared their land would receive inputs under the Climate-Proofed Presidential Input Scheme.