The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has attributed the success of the Command Agriculture initiative to tremendous support which was shown by the media.
Speaking during a public lecture on “Command Agriculture in Zimbabwe: Myths, lessons and the future” at Midlands State University last week, VP Mnangagwa said the extensive coverage of Command Agriculture by the media helped educating the nation and raised awareness on the imperative for adequate food security and nutrition. He said food security and nutrition were the bedrock for peace stability and development.
“I want to commend the Press on their comprehensive and informative reports on Command Agriculture. You (the media) are successfully educating the nation on Command Agriculture and raising awareness on the imperative for adequate food security and nutrition as they are the bedrock for peace, stability and development,” he said.
VP Mnangagwa said Command Agriculture had an immense mobilisation potential ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections and the communities must be activated.
“The programme has immense mobilisation potential which we must unleash as we prepare for the 2018 elections, hence the communities must be activated, geared and fully supported in the continued implementation of the programme.”
VP Mnangagwa said the country was expecting in excess of two million tonnes of maize this season and farmers would be paid instantly for deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
“Our objective was to produce at least two million tonnes of maize grain on 400 000 hectares out of which at least 200 000 ha would be on irrigated land. In volume terms, the Command Agriculture objective was attained with the 2016/2017 maize production projected to be in excess of 2 million metric tonnes.
“We spoke to our millers and they are going to give us the money in advance and we would be able to pay the farmers on time.
The farmers that were contracted under the Command Agriculture were given the target of at least five tonnes per hectare but they have surpassed that most them have reached 10 tonnes per ha. Of that, only three tonnes per ha is enough to repay the loans that the farmers got in terms of implements and inputs,” he said.
