Published by the government of Zimbabwe
10 November 2007
Harare — Vice President Joice Mujuru has assured farmers in Mashonaland Central that more seed will be delivered to Grain Marketing Board depots in the coming week and urged them to prepare adequately for the forthcoming season.
Cde Mujuru said she met seed companies early this week following a recommendation by President Mugabe during a Cabinet meeting and got an assurance that there was enough seed to meet demand this farming season. Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters during her tour of the province on Thursday, Cde Mujuru urged farmers to prepare for a successful farming season. She said farmers should expect more deliveries next week and urged traditional leaders to ensure maximum productivity in areas under their jurisdiction. She said with Government providing various farming implements under the mechanisation programme, farmers must boost productivity this season so that Zimbabwe does not waste foreign currency importing maize.
"Kusunza kwatinoita ndikokunoita kuti magetsi atore 27 years asina kuuya kuno nokuti mari inenge yashandiswa kutenga chibage. (It is taking long to electrify rural areas because we are using foreign currency to import maize). "We are importing food for people vakagarira minda (sitting on idle land)," Cde Mujuru said.
She said because Government was spending a lot of foreign currency importing food, a number of projects like the construction of Semwa Dam in Mashonaland Central were still unfinished 10 years after it was initiated. If completed, Semwa Dam is expected to irrigate 11 500 hectares in Rushinga and Mt Darwin South. Cde Mujuru challenged the Minister of Water and Infrastructural Development, Cde Munacho Mutezo, to ensure the speedy completion of the dam. Progress has been hindered by lack of funding and the contractor stopped work because of non-payment. Rushinga is drought-prone and a number of families are relying on food aid.
The Vice President said as long as Zimbabwe continued to have poor harvests, Government would direct resources meant for developmental projects towards food imports. Cde Mujuru castigated the dependency syndrome among some families.
She said donor aid always came with conditions and urged people to start income-generating projects. Cde Mujuru pledged 2 000 cattle to Mashonaland Central Province as part of efforts to boost the national herd.
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