THE Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) has opened 219 permanent cotton input distribution points (CIDPs) across the country's cotton-growing regions to facilitate the early disbursement of inputs by contractors as the country targets 270 million kilogrammes.
This was said by AMA chief executive officer, Mr Clever Isaya yesterday in an interview on the progress recorded for the 2024/25 cotton season so far.
"AMA has already set up 219 CIDPs to streamline input distribution in line with the push to enhance farmers' access to critical resources. This proactive approach ensures that farmers are fully prepared to plant with the first effective rains thereby positioning the country to meet and potentially exceed national cotton production targets," the AMA boss said.
Mr Isaya said AMA had pioneered an innovative national farmers' database management system, which registers and captures farmers' biometric data.
"By deploying clerks equipped to register farmers at these CIDPs, AMA is transforming agricultural data collection and utilisation. Farmers can now be digitally registered on-site, linking their profiles directly to the inputs they receive" he explained.
This integration provides a seamless and efficient approach to farmer support and enables AMA to gain crucial insights into distribution patterns, production forecasts and individual farmer needs across the country.
This system, once fully functional will also assist in curbing side marketing.
AMA is optimistic that the biometric data captured in the national farmers' database management system will inform a data-driven approach to resource allocation, tracking production levels in real time and ultimately strengthening Zimbabwe's cotton value chain.
This system represents a revolutionary step forward in the way farmers' data is managed, which will help prevent inefficiencies of the past by curbing duplication of services, he added.
Cotton farmers are positioned to increase productivity, improve quality and contribute to broader national objectives of food and nutrition security, rural development and economic growth.
Five cotton contractors have since registered with AMA for the 2024/25 production season. Government is targeting to contract 418 000 farmers this season.
Predictions of a better La Nina-influenced season and prospects of some farmers going into commercial production of free grown cotton will likely have a two-fold positive aspect of increased production and enhanced quality.
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Self-financed farmers who are to produce free cotton should provide evidence of input purchase at the time of registration.
Statutory Instrument (SI) 63 of 2011, [Agricultural Marketing Authority (Seed Cotton and Seed Cotton Products) Regulations] defines 'free cotton' as seed cotton that is grown by a grower without contractual obligations or above contractual obligations agreed between the grower and contractor as confirmed by crop reports done end of March of each year.
Meanwhile, the crops, horticulture, fisheries and livestock 2024/25 summer plan is targeting production of seed cotton on 270 000 hectares with Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme earmarked to fund production on 180 000 ha.
The total national cost of production is estimated at US$248 112 000 with the private sector expected to fund 33 percent of the hectarage.
The 2024 cotton seed cotton intake of 13, 5 million kilogrammes is the lowest in the crop's post-independence history and this was chiefly attributed to the El Nino-induced drought, which was also ranked the worst in the country's 43-year history.
