The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
LEADING poultry and eggs producer, Irvine’s Zimbabwe has demonstrated their continued support and commitment to the Government’s command agriculture policy by building another fully-equipped chicken production house at Ntabeni Primary School in Bulawayo.
The chicken fowl run with a capacity of 2500 broilers was built at a cost of $2 065 640 as part of the company’s Command Livestock Agricultural partnership with Government and support to the community they serve.
Speaking at the official hand over in Bulawayo on Thursday and on behalf of the guest of honour, deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Martin Rushwaya, head in command centre of command agriculture Air Commodore Salisio Janyure said the Bulawayo fowl run was the second to be commissioned with more others in other provinces already completed.
“We are witnessing the successful completion of the second demo fowl run in Bulawayo Province which is ready to be commissioned, the first having been commissioned in Harare Province after being constructed using experts from Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
I am informed that super structures for similar infrastructure in Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland Provinces are complete and awaiting commissioning. We hope that this fowl run here will be used by intended beneficiaries so as to address the Sustainable Development Goal No.1 which is to reduce poverty in all its form and at all levels. And we say money in the pocket and food on the table for all,” said Air Commodore Janyure.
He added that the donation from Irvines was in line with the command agriculture policy.
“Government introduced Command Agriculture to mitigate the effects of the drought to ensure food security and nutrition and invited the private sector to participate in the programme. It is to note that Irvines Zimbabwe responded positively to this invitation to partner Government in this programme. To this end the company pledged to provide technical support, building equipment and material as well as construct demo fowl runs. It also pledged to provide broiler chicks and feed for the demo fowl runs in the ten provinces,” he said.
He added: “The fowl runs are a donation that came in the form of a pledge from Irvines Zimbabwe. The construction of the fowl runs was done by the Zimbabwe National Army engineers while local community provided labour.”
Air Commodore Janyure said the programme had been slowed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic however, slowed the pace of the program due to lockdown measures put in place by the Government to contain the spread of the pandemic,” said Air Commodore Janyure.
Irvines Zimbabwe’s Broiler Executive, Mr Martin Ndengu said the facility serves as a demonstration where locals can come see and learn.
“This facility is one of the 12 chicken houses that we are targeting across the various provinces. These facilities are expected to serve as demonstration of good chicken farming practices for the locals to see and learn. This is why they are put at central places like schools because we want those who want to learn to come and leave with more poultry management skills,” said Mr Ndengu.
He added that the organisation had done much progress of setting up structures in other parts of the country.
“Irvine’s partnered Command Livestock Agricultural Programme to promote the success of the government’s policy and empowerment of local people. Apart from Ntabeni primary school, some of the selected centres include agricultural colleges such as Esigodini in Matabeleland South, Makoholi in Masvingo, Gwebi in Midlands, Kukwanisa Vocational College in Manicaland, Chipadze High School in Mashonaland Central and Goromonzi High School in Mashonaland East. Work at the majority of the centres has begun with most structures already done or at more than 70% complete,” he said.
Ntabeni primary school headmistress, Mrs Nozipho Sibindi said they were grateful for the project and thanked command agriculture for boosting her school.
