…Goals unrealistic without food security
…As El Nino-induced drought hits hard
Bright Zhou
Minister of Lands Agriculture Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Anxious Masuka has said Vision 2030 will remain a pipe dream if food insecurity continues to haunt the country, emphasising the need for farmers to prioritise high-yield farming methods like pfumvudza.
Masuka was speaking at a Pfumvudza field day held on December 07, 2023 at Jeriphanos Marashe’s homestead in village Makayi under Chief Chivi organised by the Department of Agricultural, Technical and Extension Services.
Masuka said the country cannot promise Vision 2030 to the people without food, so farmers should embrace Pfumvudza method to get food for home consumption and to avert food insecurity.
“The country cannot promise Vision 2030 to the people without food, people must have food first so that they can work on Vision 2030. The Agricultural Department educates farmers to use Pfumvudza method as a way to provide food for themselves,” said Masuka.
He went on to urge farmers to plant crops that suit their area saying most farmers in Chivi District should plant drought-tolerant crops like Rapoko, Millet and Sorghum using Pfumvudza agricultural method.
He also said farmers should make use of irrigation schemes and not to wait for the rainy season saying there were plans to make sure that more irrigation schemes were set up for Pfumvudza.
“President Emmerson Mnangagwa will introduce a Presidential Rural Development Program which will facilitate installation of solar-powered boreholes in every rural community for the benefit of all farmers on Pfumvudza,” said Masuka.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira said Pfumvudza was the best method of farming and encouraged farmers to focus more on it since the government was going to provide Pfumvudza farmers with seeds, insecticide, irrigation schemes, and technical knowledge.
“We encourage farmers to use Pfumvudza farming method and the President permitted Pfumvudza farmers to use the nearest dams to irrigate crops.
“In Chivi, Mwenezi and Chiredzi Districts, we urge Pfumvudza farmers to concentrate on small grain while those in Bikita, Gutu, Masvingo district are encouraged to plant maize and small grains in other areas,” said Chadzamira.
The Pfumvudza Plot owner Jeriphanos Marashe thanked the President for providing seeds, and insecticides and urged other farmers to emulate the use of Pfumvudza.
“Pfumvudza is the best farming method and I urged other farmers to practice it. However, our only challenge is water, we are getting it from the river which is about four kilometers away. So I implore government fast track establishment of irrigation schemes,” said Marashe.
This year’s rainy season has been disturbed by a dry spell that is being attributed to the El Nino effect, which has raised fears about food security as subsistence farmers find it hard to plant before the rains come.
