Maravi

(HERALD) End food shortages: President

End food shortages: President
Business Editor

PRODUCTION on farms should increase significantly this season so that Zimbabwe does not just become self-sufficient but should also produce for the export market, President Mugabe has said. Speaking at the launch of the second phase of the Farm Mechanisation Programme in Harare yesterday, Cde Mugabe said Zimbabwe had become a laughing stock because of its food inadequacies but it was time it regained its breadbasket status.

"Kusekwa kwatiri kuitwa uku ngakupere tive tisu mangwana tinovasekawo kuti mava papi maitiseka. Iye zvino vari kushama kuti mari tirikuiwana kupi yekutenga matractors mamwe anobva kuUSA kwavanorambidza makambani avo kushanda nesu under the Zimbabwe Democracy Bill.

"Asi isu tine maitiro edu. Kana tichitenga kushamwari dzedu vari ivo vatenga kuAmerica zvinorambidzwa here? Inga ivo vanogara wani vari kumafloors edu vachitenga fodya yedu. Vanoda zvikuru kuputa fodya yemuno muZimbabwe kana Zimbabwean beef inodiwa zvikuru kuEurope," said President Mugabe.

He urged farmers to use their land efficiently and make good use of facilities availed by the Government through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Beneficiaries needed to prove their worth through increased productivity and production.

"Zvinhu izvi hazvisi zvemahara. Ukawana zvawawana, tractor yako inofanira kubuda dikita newe uchibudawo dikita kuti muwane mubairo mangwana. You should work hard and plan properly," he said.

The second phase of the programme will see the disbursement to A1 and communal farmers of 50 000 animal-drawn ploughs, 70 000 animal-drawn harrows, 70 000 knap-sack sprayers and 45 000 scotch carts. Furthermore, this group of farmers would also receive 20 000 animal-drawn cultivators and 1 000 animal-drawn planters.

A2 farmers would receive machinery and implements that included 1 200 tractors, 50 combine harvesters, 800 ploughs, 800 disc harrows and 300 planters.

Other implements such as 200 boom sprayers, 200 fertilizer spreaders and 200 hay bailers would also be distributed to A2 farmers.

"Without doubt, the equipment and implements I have enumerated will further increase the capacity of our farmers in a way that should realistically move us closer to Government’s vision of a Zimbabwe that is more than self-sufficient in food security," said President Mugabe.

He defended Government’s programmes to support chiefs under the farm mechanisation and vehicle schemes as giving due recognition to traditional leaders as opposed to vote-buying as suggested in some quarters.

"Machief haambodi mafadziro iwayo kuti ativhotere. Chero vasina kufadzwa vanoramba vachivhotera hurumende yavanoda. Ino inyika yavo. Isu hatisi madhumukwa, tinoziva tsika dzedu uye tiri vanhu vanoziva kwatakabva. Hatidi kurasa hunhu hwedu.

"Tinoda kuti machief edu agare zvakanaka saka ndinoti veLocal Government varambe vachitarisa magariro avo."

The President reiterated that the disbursement of the implements and machinery was non-partisan.

Any farmer aligned to Zanu-PF, MDC or any other political party will have access to the implements.

"Tinoda kushanda pamwechete tiri tose. Nyaya yekudya haina kuti ini ndine mutupo wekuti Gushungo kana kuti Soko kana Madyirapanze, tose tinoda sadza. Whether Zanu PF or MDC tose tinoda sadza."

Increased productivity and unity of purpose would shame the country’s detractors.

"Viewed against the shameless, unrelenting and futile attempts by our detractors to cause chaos and disorder in our economy through illegal sanctions and various ways of sabotage, such as the inexplicable increases in prices of basic commodities, the weapon of generating our own self-sufficiency is indeed an invincible one," said President Mugabe.

Labels: MECHANISATION, MUGABE, TRACTORISATION, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 3:40 AM