138 000t maize set aside for Matabeleland

14 Jun, 2015 - 09:06 0 Views

The Sunday News

Nqobizitha Dhlamini Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT has set aside 138 000 tonnes of maize for immediate distribution to drought- prone areas in Matabeleland region following poor harvest last season. Most areas in in the region have raised the red flag over the food situation following a drought which was caused by erratic rains received during the summer season . In an interview the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development responsible for cropping, Cde Davis Marapira, said the grain would be distributed through the Department of Social Welfare.

“The maize in reserve is meant to help the needy families and it will be distributed through social welfare.We are aware that some families are living in poverty after they failed to harvest enough maize to last them to the next cropping season,” he said.

Cde Marapira said a number of donors had also indicated that they would put more focus on Matabeleland both in food provision and helping farmers become self-sustaining.
“The situation in Matabeleland will be revolutionalised as the region has become the focal point of donor funds, which will help acquire more irrigation equipment and rehabilitate irrigation schemes,” he said.

Apart from the equipment from donors, Cde Marapira said Government was also going to distribute farm implements which were acquired from Brazil under a $98 million agricultural loan facility which is part of Zimbabwe’s move to fulfil Zim Asset. Cde Marapira said farmers in Matabeleland were likely to receive the equipment in a fortnight.

“We will be unveiling and distributing irrigation equipment in Matabeleland. We will also be distributing tractors in an effort to arm the farmers with draught power,” he said.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union immediate past president Mr Donald Khumalo said the help was welcome as most families were facing challenges brought about by drought.

“Most farmers will require food aid by the end of July as most of them failed to harvest enough last season. We are happy the needy families will receive assistance,” he said.
On farming implements, he said it was important that farmers be equipped with the irrigation facilities to ensure that they can mitigate effects of drought.

“As farmers we are grateful for the irrigation equipment as it will enable us to reach our full potential,” he said. Farmers in Matabeleland region received poor harvests this year due to the dry spells that hit the region last season.The Meteorological Services Department noted that the region received the least rainfall compared to other provinces in the country resulting in most crops wilting.

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