…Says ‘Presidential Blitz Tick’ grease scheme reduces disease-induced cattle deaths by 50%
Tinaani Nyabereka
Gweru-Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka yesterday said government is open to creating an enabling environment to accelerate economic growth through agriculture and other interventions.
Dr Masuka made the remark while addressing farmers, stakeholders and business community during the official opening the Zimbabwe Famers Union 82nd annual congress in Gweru.
The congress ran for three days under the theme ‘Accelerating Alliance for Food Systems Transformation’
“There are other interventions put in place to create an enabling environment for accelerated growth, among them irrigation development under the Irrigation Development Alliance, a stakeholder approach to accelerate the establishment of 350 000 hectares of irrigation by 2025 from the current 185 000 ha.
“Regarding mechanization, government and its stakeholders envisage availing 9 000 tractors under various schemes, with government contribution being 4 500 tractors and over 200 combine harvesters.
“The localization of projects has been extended to equipment manufacture, dam construction and localization of fertilizer and chemicals production. In all these endeavors, government will be an active player and facilitator,” said Dr Masuka.
He added that the National Food Safety Regulations was ready to ensure all consumers had access to comprehensive information about how and where food is produced, empowering them to make informed choices.
“National Agriculture and Food Policies are meant to promote the production of affordable nutritious, sustainably produced food while remunerating all farmers and food workers, building resilience to vulnerabilities shocks and stress.
“Agriculture Recovery Plan, Livestock Recovery and Growth Plan, Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan, Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan, Integrated Agriculture Information Management System, and more recently, a Tobacco Transformation Plan were launched. A Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Plan is being finalized. The winter wheat season has shown that working collectively and collaboratively, we can achieve self-sufficiency. An unprecedented 80 000 ha have been put under wheat with an expected harvest of over 384 000 metric tonnes (MT), the highest in the history of the country.
“We must build on this momentum into the summer season to assure our nation of perennial food security away from the episodic weather-deterred food security escapades of the past. With the Presidential Climate-proofed Input Scheme (Pfumvudza/Intwasa) now better fine-tuned so that what is grown or reared is determined by the requirements of the agro-ecological region, and the establishment of 35 000 Farmer Field Schools across 35 000 villages, we are laying a firm foundation for resilient and robust agricultural growth. In the process, some 3.5 million rural households and 500 000 peri-rural (previously peri-urban) families are benefitting countrywide,” he added.
Dr Masuka however highlighted that through the Presidential Blitz Tick Grease Scheme, there was decrease in disease induced cattle deaths by 50% paving way for national head rebuilding.
“Regarding smaller stock, the Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme and the Presidential Goat Scheme, both recently launched, will spur growth in this sub-sector. In the 2020/21 season, the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme contributed to an increase of 41% in national production, with productivity levels also increasing from about 0.5MT/ha to 1.3MT/ha.We are accelerating the capacitation of our extension staff, now called AGRITEX Business.
“Regarding legislative changes, government is seized with the review of various land related acts and the 99-year lease, and those related to the marketing of grain, including SI 145 of 2019. Land is an economic enabler. I urge all A1 and A2 farmers to use this productively and to complete the Annual Production and Productivity Returns.
“The Annual Production and Productivity Return Forms are now the basis for the issuance of 99-year leases,” he said.
