Command Agriculture abusers must be jailed
EDITOR — For this country to regain its former economic glory, there is need for a mindset change which needs to be effected.
I learnt with regret that people are already finding ways to unduly benefit from the Command Agriculture Scheme during these early days. This should come as a sign to the authorities that a spirit of national ownership needs to be cultivated into the people so that they do not sabotage or seek to gain clandestinely from projects meant to aid the whole country.
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa gave me hope when he said wayward individuals who are abusing Command Agriculture inputs will be brought to book. The sooner the leakage is plugged, the more successful the programme will become. This realisation that there are loopholes of abuse in the implementation of the scheme should be reason for a change in modalities involved in the whole process, especially around disbursement and distribution.
One wonders how selfish people can be? The Government is working flat out to secure food for citizens after the El Nino induced drought and someone has the audacity to misdirect the same resources.
A name and shame approach should be taken by the media in exposing issues of this nature. These people should be blacklisted and barred from getting close to similar positions in their lives.
On concerns that logistical challenges may hamper the success of command agriculture, the Ministry of Transport should chip in and assist.
The time is now for coordinated efforts between Ministries to ensure that the required inputs get to farmers within the time that allows them to put the inputs to productive use.
I also would like to commend Vice President Mnangagwa for constantly speaking out against corruption, we need more leaders to speak against the rot so that our country regains the breadbasket of Southern Africa status. Jane Gava, Southerton