Hunger: Gvt plots ‘green revolution’

VICE President Emmerson Mnangagwa says government has come up with a “command agriculture scheme” involving 2,000 land reform beneficiaries who have each been ordered to produce 1,000 tonnes of maize to help ensure national food security.

Vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa

Vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa

He was addressing the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) 2016 congress in Victoria Falls on Thursday.

Zimbabwe perennially struggles with food shortages which critics blame on the government’s controversial land reforms while the administration cites droughts.

But Mnangagwa said, with 220, 000 hectares of irrigated land available, Zimbabwe can achieve 3.5 million tonnes of maize per annum in two seasons – enough to feed the country.

He said the ‘unique approach’ was part of the economic recovery efforts under the government’s Zim-Asset blue-print and the 10-point plan enunciated by President Mugabe in August last year.

“A key initiative for ensuring food self-sufficiency is targeted command agriculture.

“The model is based on participation by 2,000 farmers with access to at least 200ha of arable land each, with a mandate to produce at least 1,000 tonnes of maize per farmer,” he said.

The initiative was aimed at making the country food self-sufficient in just four seasons, “leveraging on vast tracts of agricultural land that Zimbabwe has, abundant water bodies and a favourable climate”.

Green revolution

Mnangagwa said the strategy was to target farmers near water bodies who can each put a minimum 200ha of land under maize.

“With 220, 000 hectares of irrigated land available, we can achieve 3.5 million tonnes of maize per annum in two seasons – enough to feed Zimbabwe,” added the VP.

He called for partnerships with the private sector, especially the business community, adding that the model is self-financing.

“A distinct advantage about the project is that it is self-financing, with each participating farmer being required to commit five tonnes per hectare towards repayment of advanced loans in the form of irrigation equipment, inputs and chemicals, mechanized equipment, electricity and water charges.

“The farmer retains all surplus produce for personal use,” said Mnangagwa.

The government which continues to get farming equipment from Brazil, China and India and Belarus for use by commercial and communal famers, would assist in mechanizing farming operations through modern irrigation technology and taking advantage of existing water bodies in the country.

The new strategy, VP Mnangagwa added, will spearhead a “Zimbabwean Green Revolution” to also involve livestock production where he said a national livestock strategy has been crafted to push for resumption of beef exports to the European Union and Middle East.

“As we implement the national livestock strategy, we remain alive to the need to guard against disease outbreak like foot and mouth and others,” he said.

To this end, he said 2000ha is being cleared at ARDA-Ingwizi in Matabeleland South province for irrigated grass to feed 60,000 animals per annum.

The ZNCC congress started Wednesday and ends Friday at Elephant Hills Resort.

 

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  1. Peter Kozelj

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