Midlands communal farmers receive inputs

SMALLHOLDER farmers here have started receiving inputs under the Presidential Input Support Scheme ahead of the beginning of the summer cropping season.

Each household was getting 10kg of maize seed, 50kg of basal fertiliser (Compound D) and 50kg of top dressing (Ammonium Nitrate).

Government has set aside $154 million for the Presidential Input Support Scheme for the 2017-18 summer cropping season, which is set to benefit 1,8 million households across the country.

This is in pursuit of the objectives of the food nutrition and security cluster espoused in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zimasset) and the 10-point plan.

On Friday, more than 2 700 communal farmers from Zhombe and Silobela received the inputs, which were being distributed at GMB depots.

Speaking at the official launch of the Presidential Input Support Scheme at Dendera Primary School in Zhombe, ZANU-PF Deputy National Secretary for Administration, Cde July Moyo, warned traditional leaders against nepotism and discrimination when registering beneficiaries. Cde Moyo said everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, were entitled to benefit.

“These inputs were given to you by President Mugabe because he wants the country to improve agricultural productivity,” he said. “President Mugabe has the people at heart and will never take you for granted because he knows how important you are.

“He is not doing this because he wants you to vote for him, but because he has people at heart. He is the President of the country.”

Cde Moyo said the beneficiaries of the Presidential Input Support Scheme should also not abuse the inputs, put them to proper use.

“You should not break the President’s heart by selling these inputs,” he said. “The President does not want anyone to die of hunger.”

Cde Moyo encouraged people to go and register to vote during the bio-metric voter registration exercise.

Zhombe Member of Parliament, Engineer Daniel Mckenzie Ncube, encouraged farmers to join the Command Agriculture programme and consolidate last year’s bumper harvest.

“The Presidential Input Support Scheme is for free, but we have another scheme, which was launched last year called Command Agriculture,” he said.

“We are encouraging farmers to join this scheme so that we ensure maximum utilisation of land and production.”