This season, the Government is targeting 9,5 million Pfumvudza plots for increased production, improved incomes for smallholder farmers and ensure larger harvests for national food reserves.
So far, farmers have prepared 2,3 million plots, a 29.5 percent increase in the Pfumvudza programme uptake for the coming agricultural season compared to the same time last year.
The programme is aimed at boosting production and productivity levels.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka recently said the Government was targeting 9,5 million plots under the Pfumvudza programme as a way of mitigating the effects of climate change and boosting food security. The upgrade will also boost rural incomes and so empower farming families.
The 29.5 percent increase in Pfumvudza plots was a clear demonstration of the resilience of the farmers as well as the effectiveness of the Government's initiatives on climate-proofing strategies.
"Government is putting more efforts to ensure food self-sufficiency and improving livelihoods across the country. We need to fulfil our goal of supporting 9,5 million plots nationwide to ensure that the country is food secure. This programme is very critical as it will not only help us to mitigate the risks posed by erratic rainfall patterns but also empower smallholder farmers who are important to the agricultural sector," Dr Masuka said.
The Government was expecting 3,5 million farmers to participate in the Pfumvudza training to improve productivity levels. More than 1,9 million farmers across the country had so far been trained in conservation agriculture.
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A lot of farmers can recycle their plots from the last two seasons, leading to less work on digging holes.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said the Pfumvudza programme was the best way of increasing the country's food self-sufficiency and household incomes so farmers should embrace the programme.
"Farmers should take up the programme as it ensures maximum productivity and guarantees food security. They should do more plots before the rains. This season the Government has remodelled the distribution of agricultural inputs under the Pfumvudza programme to match with the agro-ecological regions where farmers are situated. This is critical as it guarantees food security," he said.
The Pfumvudza programme is now being replicated across Africa after showing positive results in Zimbabwe.
The good rains that are predicted by the Meteorological Services Department and the roll out of the Pfumvudza input programme will help to increase the country's food self-sufficiency.
This summer cropping season, Government is targeting 1,8 million hectares of maize, 418 000ha of sorghum, 200 000ha of pearl millet and rapoko, cotton and an increase in the production of tobacco.
