EDITORIAL COMMENT: Public-private sector partnership commemdable Willard Manungo
Willard Manungo

Willard Manungo

The Government has now mobilised basically all the inputs that are required for the forthcoming farming season, well ahead of time.

It looked impossible for the Government to raise the required resources, on time, but authorities, working with the private sector, have made it.

As we report elsewhere in today’s edition, inputs under the command agriculture initiative and the Presidential Well-wishers Inputs Support Scheme are ready for collection from various suppliers across the country. They must arrive at farms countrywide by the first week of next month.

Finance and Economic Development Secretary Mr Willard Manungo, in a letter dated September 23, 2016 and addressed to the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, said the money for the inputs had been secured.

“As you may be aware, Treasury has been in engagement with the private sector over financing facilities towards supporting some of the programmes for the 2016/17 agricultural production season,” he said.

“I wish to advise that Treasury has concluded the negotiations, culminating in the signing of relevant facility term sheets as of 23 September 2016.”

He said $85 million of the raised amount would go towards the irrigated component, while $75 million has been allocated to the non-irrigated component.

“$66 million comprised of $30 million being Government’s share towards the Presidential Input Scheme, and $36 million towards Government’s support for cotton (has been raised),” Mr Manungo wrote.

Indeed the mobilisation of the resources in such good time is encouraging. It demonstrates that wherever the Government is involved in initiatives of more national significance, results are achieved promptly.  This is particularly critical given that we have the command maize production initiative beginning this season and also that chances of normal to above normal rainfall over the farming season are very high.

This season local farmers and the Government had to be ready given the positive weather prognosis and authorities are involved in a more central fashion.  Failure and excuses would therefore, be unacceptable.  We are confident that with these elements in place – enough inputs and rainfall this season – Zimbabwe is on the road to food self-sufficiency.

On Tuesday, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Government had secured $423 million to support the 2016/2017 agricultural season, while negotiations were currently underway for a further $500 million.

“Already, Government secured more than $423 million towards supporting the 2016/2017 agricultural season, and the objective is to be self-sufficient in food security in the event that the heavens smile on us and give us normal rains this season,” he said.

The command system, officially known as the Special Maize Production Programme is targeting 400 000 hectares of land under the staple for the 2016/2017 season expected to produce at least two million tonnes of maize, enough to meet national food requirements.

About 310 000 hectares of land had been identified two weeks ago, of which over 105 000 hectares is irrigable land, while over 204 000 hectares is dry land.

Under the programme, farmers are signing performance contracts, initially for three consecutive growing seasons, commencing with the 2016/17 summer season, and will receive support covering maize seed, fertilisers and tillage.

The Government and the private sector have shown the way, which must inspire farmers on the ground to put the inputs to good use and work most diligently for the season to be successful.

Seeing that the command system will run for the next three seasons, we demand such seamless private-public sector collaboration over the period and beyond.  As we move forward, and as has been discussed and agreed at various forums, more crops must be added on the command initiative, crops that are strategic to the economy.  These include soya beans and sunflower for the edible oils sector, wheat for the baking sector and cotton for the textile as well as cooking oil sector.

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