The Sunday Mail
Livingstone Marufu
GOVERNMENT has increased its support to farmers and will this season incentivise cotton growers in addition to assistance already being given to cereal and grain growers under the Presidential Well Wishers Inputs Scheme. It is envisaged that the inclusion of cotton growers under the support system will revive the cotton industry while also guaranteeing food security through production of staple grain and other small crops.
The Sunday Mail has gathered that distribution of agricultural inputs under the Presidential Input Scheme has begun in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and Midlands provinces.
The scheme, which targets about 1,2 million communal farmers and vulnerable families, will complement the special Command Agriculture programme under which Government is expected to finance 400 000 hectares of the maize crop this season.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made said Government has increased the Presidential Input Scheme beneficiaries to 800 000 from 300 000 households last year.
He said in addition to the 800 000 vulnerable households, Government will support 400 000 cotton growers with either free or subsidised inputs.
“The Presidential Input Scheme will see 800 000 households each benefiting 10kg of maize seed, 100kgs of Compound D and Ammonium Nitrate fertilizers and 150kgs of agricultural lime to strengthen the soil.
“We decided to increase our input scale after realising that most of the households in the rural areas, including our farmers, have been affected by the El Nino induced drought.
“On top of those 800 000 maize farmers, the Cotton Input Scheme will help 400 000 households benefiting with cotton inputs equivalent to one hectare. This is an increase from the quarter hectare provided last season.”
Dr Made revealed that the 9 000 tonnes of Urea pledged by China was already in transit and expected in the country soon.
Government’s support is meant to increase farm production.
Dr Made said seed and fertiliser companies have indicated ability to meet the season’s demands.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s Meteorological Services Department Director Dr Amos Makarau said the country should expect rains this week.
“We expect to receive rainfall by the end of this week, particularly in Matebeleland with the rest of the northern parts of the country expecting meaningful rainfall patterns at the beginning of November.
“We expect normal to above normal rainfall this season, which is an encouragement to our farmers this summer cropping season,” said Dr Makarau.
