The Sunday Mail
Kuda Bwititi Chief Reporter
Just four months after receiving agri-equipment from Brazil, smallholder farmers have repaid US$300 000 of US$38,6 million advanced by the South American country. This puts Zimbabwe in good stead for further support. Figures from the Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Ministry show repayments as follows: Mashonaland West US$73 000, Mashonaland Central US$63 000, Mashonaland East US$42 000, Masvingo US$31 000 and Midlands US$30 000.
Manicaland, and Matabeleland North and South paid US$25 000, US$23 000 and US$22 000 respectively.
In May 2015, Government took delivery of equipment under Brazil’s More Food for Africa Programme. It will be paid for over 15 years at two percent interest per annum.
Authorities are almost done distributing the consignment, which includes irrigation kits, 320 tractors, 450 disc harrows, 310 planters, 100 fertiliser spreaders and 6 650 knapsack sprayers. Two more tranches will be sourced after evaluation of the first disbursement.
Agriculture Minister Dr Joseph Made told The Sunday Mail, “This programme is progressing well and setting the proper tone in that nothing is being given for free.
“The farmers have impressed; this is very important as it assures the countries helping us. When we talk of help, we are not talking of charity. We have created the business opportunities as they relate to the land reform, so it is a win-win situation, with countries assisting us with machinery and equipment. It should be understood that when we talk of assisting, it is not free because the farmers are also producing.”
Dr Made said: “I am also happy engineers from Brazil – for whom Zimbabwean engineers have been preparing bases – are now coming to do the installation. I am grateful to our Embassy in Brazil for facilitating their visit.
“These engineers have been here five times in the past three years and are familiar with equipment positioning and other technical work that needs to be done.”
The More Food for Africa Programme aims to increase the continent’s agricultural productivity through mechanisation, irrigation and top-shelf extension services.
Zimbabwe — like the rest of Southern African — has been a victim of drought, and wants to capitalise on this initiative to boost national yields. Authorities plan to increase irrigable land from 150 000 hectares to 200 000ha.Recently, Brazil’s Chief Diplomat in Harare Ambassador Marcia Maro da Silva told this newspaper it was possible to increase productivity in drought-prone areas.
