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Crime Reporter

THREE people were arrested in Rutenga on Saturday driving a truck filled with 1 750kg of Compound D fertiliser worth over $129 000 meant for Presidential Inputs Scheme, which they had bought from farmers in the area and were planning on reselling.

Tavonga Chikuni (18), Maizivei Themba (33) and Maizivei Gariyakumwe (43) were intercepted by police and other security agents while they were travelling in a Toyota Ace truck.

Investigations revealed that they had bought the inputs from several farmers around Rutenga and they intended to sell the inputs.

Efforts are also being made to track down the farmers who allegedly sold them the inputs, since they are also breaking the contracts.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the haul in the truck was 35 x 50kg bags of compound D fertiliser distributed under the Presidential Inputs Scheme valued at $129 000.

Recently, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission’s reporting platforms were inundated with reports of some community leaders across the country, who are diverting and sabotaging Government’s major programme to uplift the rural poor out of poverty through Pfumvudza/Intwasa.

This corruption involves the distribution of inputs.

Pfumvudza was initiated by Government to increase rural household incomes and boost national food security but some elements among the teams tasked with inputs distribution are trying to make money from it.

ZACC then issued a warning to teams tasked with distribution of the inputs to desist from corrupt tendencies saying they will soon be arrested.

Government set aside $152 million for the transportation of inputs from Grain Marketing Board depots to Wards where farmers can easily access them but some councillors and transporters were demanding money from farmers for the transportation of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa inputs.

Government is intensifying efforts to boost agricultural production through Pfumvudza/Intwasa to guarantee food self-sufficiency and commercialise smallholder agriculture.

Pfumvudza/Intwasa is a concept aimed at climate-proofing agriculture by adopting conservation farming techniques and involves the utilisation of small pieces of land and applying the correct agronomic practices for higher returns.

The concept, which will be applied to maize, traditional grains and soyabeans will also commercialise smallholder agriculture.