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Cde Zhuwao

Blessings Chidakwa Midlands Bureau
Youths from the Midlands Province have benefited from Command Agriculture programme and presidential inputs scheme after Government leased them more than 4 000 hectares of land for the 2017-2018 farming season, a senior Government official has said.

The Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Cde Patrick Zhuwao, yesterday said the programmes, which are set to benefit at least 1,8 million households across the country, has seen Midlands youths being allocated more than 4 000 hectares of land after Cabinet gave the green light.

“Cabinet approved that youth should also benefit from the presidential inputs scheme and command agriculture programme through creating demo plots,” he said.

“In Midlands province, Government has started implementing the process of encouraging youths into agriculture by having them allocated and lease 4 323 hectares of land.”

Minister Zhuwao said the programme, which is aimed at promoting the youths into agriculture, has so far seen youth officers across the country being trained at Vocational Training Centres in their surrounding areas, to ensure success of the programmes. In Midlands, 280 youth officers have been trained so far.

“In Gokwe North, 44 youth officers have been trained, Gokwe South has 57, Mberengwa 38, Mvuma 25, Shurugwi 24, Zvishavane 29, Kwekwe 32 and Gweru 31, the youths will be supervising and assisting the youths in carrying out their projects. “These youth officers were trained at Kaguvi, Shurugwi and Zvishavane vocational training centres.”

Minister Zhuwao said the presidential inputs scheme and Command Agriculture programmes were targeting at least 3 600 villages across the country, with most youth having so far registered for maize farming over soya beans. “Most of our youths who have registered so far prefer maize farming over soya beans,” he said.

Regional Youth Development Officer Colonel Modesane Gopane said the Midlands province had already vetted successful candidates, who will be allocated resources from the schemes.

He said to avoid the earlier scenario where youths were given loans and failed to repay, the Ministry opted to deal with the principal and district heads that would deal directly with the youths at village level.

“We have already vetted youths who will benefit from the presidential inputs scheme and Command Agriculture and they have signed lease agreements for their land,” said Minister Zhuwao.

“Also, last time we had a scenario where banks dealt with youths directly by giving them funds and some of them misused the money and the ministry ended up being blamed.

“This time around we have decided to deal with youths directly by engaging our principal and districts heads so that they monitor these projects.”