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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
ACTING President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said the Government is implementing life-changing projects such as Command Agriculture, marking a new hands-on approach to business.

Presenting a public lecture at the Midlands State University (MSU) entitled “Command Agriculture in Zimbabwe: Myths, Lessons and Future,” the Acting President said Zanu-PF will rally its 2018 election campaign behind development programmes instead of slogans.

“I want to commend the Press on their comprehensive and informative reports on Command Agriculture. You are successfully educating the nation on Command Agriculture and raising awareness on the imperative for adequate food security and nutrition as they are the bedrock for peace, stability and development. Zanu-PF will rally its 2018 election campaign behind development programmes and not slogans,” he said.

The Acting President said to ensure maximum utilisation of the land, the Government was working on increasing land under irrigation from 150 000 hectares to about 300 000 hectares.

He said even if drought affects the country, there will always be enough food reserves to feed the nation.

“We have development projects that are aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of Zimbabweans and we are not going to discriminate if for example one person wants to partake in many programmes. We have Command Agriculture, Command Wheat which has started in earnest, and Command Livestock that was launched on Monday by the Cabinet.”

“Government recently launched an MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) funding facility of $90 million incorporating a horticulture facility, the cross border facility, gold support facility, women empowerment fund for high and business linkages facility. The horticulture facility has been earmarked for the export of high value horticulture products like cut flowers, vegetables, fruits and nuts that have immense potential in export earnings and in fostering financial inclusion, particularly among players who are not fully banked,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.

“We have markets for goats in Saudi Arabia for example and these different programmes are for grabs by Zimbabweans. If you bring your specific programme, we will support you and finance it.”

Acting President Mnangagwa said even the national anthem also talks about food security concerns.

“As is contained in the national anthem, our prayer is that, Izulu Kaline, Izilimo zande, Iz’sebenzi zenam, abantu basuthe, kalibusiswe ilizwe Le Zimbabwe. As we sing the national anthem daily and yearn for abundant rains and fruitful harvest now, as we conclude the first year of our three year Command Agriculture we need to work together and support all Government initiatives,” he said.

Acting President Mnangagwa said Government is committed to ensuring that all contracted grain is transported to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).

To that end, he said, it is incumbent upon every farmer to get the crop out of the field in good condition.

“Secondly, the road networks need a re-surfacing blitz to make them passable. It’s also vital that we capacitate our farmers by availing reliable vehicles to transport the grain, while good rail network should also be handy in assisting with bulk transportation of the grain. Turning to the issue of storage, our emphasis should be on avoiding post-harvest losses. Going forward we need to sustain the momentum we gathered in paying our farmers early during the 2015/16 agricultural season.”

“We also need to pay logistics service providers like transporters in a timely manner. Likewise it is critical to make provision for the payment of grain bags in which to pack and transport the grain to the GMB. To that end Government’s concern and interest is that all who provided services must be paid on time,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.

He said land that was taken from the former colonisers should be utilised fully for economic growth.

The Acting President said he was happy that cotton and tobacco farmers had produced more this season compared to the past seasons.

“I think we did well, more than what Ian Smith’s government produced before independence and more indigenous people are now involved in tobacco and cotton farming,” he said.

In its first year of implementation, the Command Agriculture programme, together with the Presidential Input Scheme, exceeded the targeted two million tonnes of maize.

Initial assessments are already pointing to a bumper harvest in excess of three million tonnes for this season.

The specialised programme is being implemented over a three-year period, with a view to ensuring national food self- sufficiency.

Addressing a Zanu-PF Central Committee meeting recently, President Mugabe said Command Agriculture would be the ruling party’s trump card for next year’s harmonised elections.

As part of ensuring wholesome changes in the agricultural sector, Government recently announced that it would soon embark on another agricultural programme called Super Agriculture that would put swathes of idle land countrywide under crops following the success of Command Agriculture.

Under the Super Agriculture Programme, areas like the Zambezi Valley, Chiredzi and Tokwe Mukosi in Masvingo will be fully utilised.

@pchitumba1