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(HERALD) Egypt pledges to assist Zim

Egypt pledges to assist Zim
Herald Reporter

EGYPT has pledged to provide assistance towards boosting Zimbabwe’s agriculture mechanisation and irrigation capacity as part of its support to the land reform programme. Briefing journalists soon after meeting the Minister of Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation and Irrigation, Cde Joseph Made, yesterday, Egyptian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Gamil Fayed said his country’s main priority would be to make sure that the deals clinched with Zimbabwe come to fruition.

"I would like to express my government’s support to Zimbabwe’s land reform and mechanisation programmes. We have some expertise in irrigation and mechanisation and we are willing to co-operate with the Zimbabwean Government in that area.

"Egypt has a well developed irrigation system and Zimbabwe would benefit immensely from it.

"I would like to add that we export lots of fertilizer to neighbouring countries and even to Latin America. I will take your request to my government and promise — Egypt will do as much as it can to provide Zimbabwe with some fertilizer. I also want to promise that you will soon receive positive answers," Mr Fayed.

He said Egypt had a number of successful projects in dairy and livestock production, which Zimbabwe could tap into.

Mr Fayed, who started work last week after presenting his credentials to President Mugabe, also pledged to increase co-operation between the two countries.

In response, Cde Made said there were a number of projects that Zimbabwe was pursuing with the North African country especially in irrigation, mechanisation and land reclamation that the two countries need to implement with haste.

"Egypt has done well in irrigation and it has one of the most developed irrigation sectors in the world. We want them to assist us to introduce and implement methods that are convenient in Zimbabwe.

"There were also initial agreements to import machinery from Egypt and we believe as a ministry there is need to move with speed on such projects that have been on the drawing board for some time. We are also trying to look into the supply of vaccines and medicines to complement the restocking exercise," he said.

Cde Made said the Government was looking at efficient ways of utilising electricity and water resources through the promotion of drip irrigation.

Government has embarked on a massive mechanisation programme under which farmers are being equipped with tractors, planters, combine harvesters and animal drawn implements to boost production.

Under the same programme, Government will rehabilitate irrigation facilities to increase production.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, EGYPT, MECHANISATION, THE HERALD, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 4:40 AM