Maravi

(SUNDAY MAIL ZW) ‘Land reform a success’
Sunday, 01 September 2013 03:58
Sunday Mail Reporter

Zimbabwe’s land reform programme has been a resounding success as evidenced by the manner in which millions of lives have been positively transformed through agriculture, the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe has said.

Speaking to journalists soon after touring several stands at the Harare Agricultural Show on Friday, Amai Mugabe highlighted the tobacco industry as a life changer.

She said she was happy to note that the majority of tobacco growers were beneficiaries of the land reform programme.

“I was impressed by the tobacco sector displays. It’s clear that the people of Zimbabwe are good at growing tobacco and are benefiting from growing it,” she said.

“It’s interesting to note that the land reform programme is already bearing fruit since the majority of tobacco growers are smallholder farmers.

“The (tobacco) prices are good and motivating farmers to go back to the field unlike what is happening in cotton where most farmers have withdrawn from its production.

“I see some schools are exhibiting agricultural products and I would like to urge youths not to do farming for the sake of passing the agriculture subject only; they should have their own farms.
“We instituted the land reform programme with the youths in mind.”

Amai Mugabe added that she was pleased by the Grain Marketing Board’s commercial projects.

“I was also impressed by GMB’s commercial projects, they told me that they are going to commission a stockfeed milling plant in November, which is a good thing since it will assist the parastatal to generate income,” she said.

Labels: GRACE MUGABE, LAND REFORM, TOBACCO

posted by MrK @ 6:05 PM