Zvamaida Murwira in BUHERA
President Mnangagwa has directed that the distribution of agricultural inputs for the 2024-2025 cropping season must adhere strictly to established procedures to ensure transparency, and accountability and that all inputs reach intended farmers, with zero tolerance for abuse.
The President said this yesterday in a speech read on his behalf by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka in Gwebu Village, Buhera District at the launch of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme which signifies the commencement of the distribution of agricultural inputs across the country ahead of the forthcoming summer cropping season.
"Distribution of inputs across all provinces will start tomorrow and will be done through established local and inclusive committees headed by a councillor. Abuse of inputs will not be tolerated. Theft of inputs must stop.
"The inputs must get to the people," said President Mnangagwa.
He said the Government adopted the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme since the 2020-2021 season as a measure to ensure household food security while adopting smart interventions in the face of climate change.
"Climate change impacts are characterised by poor rainfall seasons, prolonged mid-season dry spells, very high temperatures during the growing period and the early cessation of rains.
"The Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme has proven to be a major contributor to household food security. It's replication across Africa is pleasing," said the President.
Farmers, he said, must produce enough food to feed the nation and replenish the strategic grain reserve given that the country was emerging from the worst drought in 43 years.
"The lessons learnt from the 2023/2024 season El Nino induced drought is that we have to further consolidate climate proofing of our agriculture, both at household and national level. At a national level, my Government is accelerating irrigation development so that 350 000 hectares can be available every summer for cereals production from the current 75 000 ha. At household level, the adoption of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, which is based on conservation agricultural principles, will climate-proof agricultural production and ensure household food security".
The 2024-2025 programme is targeting 3.5 million beneficiaries, across 1,8 million households.
"I have tasked the ministers responsible for Agriculture and Social Welfare to work closely together and ensure that the precondition that access to social welfare from November 2024 should be by those that have done Pfumvudza/Intwasa plots. This is meant to eradicate the dependency syndrome and to cultivate a spirit of self-sufficiency and pride amongst households," said President Mnangagwa.
The programme, like all other agricultural schemes, he said, required a robust technical extension provision system for training, tracking and monitoring.
"I am pleased to note that all the 5 294 agricultural extension workers and agricultural supervisors across all provinces have been trained on the concept and that under the Vision 2030 Agricultural Livelihoods Tracker (VALT), extension workers are expected to train, track and monitor farmers until harvest."
Government, he said, will continue to work with traditional leaders under the Zunde Ramambo/Isiphala Senkosi concept.
"The inclusion of our traditional leaders in agricultural production is a cultural concept since time immemorial. The Zunde Ramambo/Isiphala Senkosi concept has thus been fully entrenched under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme," said the President.
President Mnangagwa commended Chief Gwebu for playing a leading role on the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme.
"Allow me to make a special mention of our host today, Chief Gwebu, and applaud him for leading among Chiefs by doing 25 Pfumvudza/Intwasa plots. This is unprecedented. I urge other Chiefs to emulate this leadership," said President Mnangagwa.
Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza described Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme as a beacon of hope for the country.
"The programme has improved food availability at the household level. Farmers in Manicaland have fully embraced the programme," said Adv Mugadza.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
In an interview, Chief Gwebu said the programme will transform his area to be food self-sufficient.
"As a community, we are grateful to President Mnangagwa because this programme has taken away hunger in our midst," he said.
There was also the launch of two School Business Units (SBU) at Gwebu Primary and Secondary School and a Village Business Unit (VBU) for the community.
All the units have a thriving garden with cabbages and butternut crops, drawing water from a solar-powered borehole.
Minister Masuka handed over company certificates for the SBUs and VBUs to run as commercial entities.
A Presidential Community Fish Pond was also commissioned during the event that was attended by the two Deputy Ministers for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries,Water and Rural Development, Vangelis Haritatos and Davies Marapira, Members of Parliament including host Buhera West lawmaker, Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi, the Ministry's Permanent Secretary, Professor Obert Jiri, traditional leaders from the province and senior Government officials.
