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Walter Nyamukondiwa in Musengezi
THE Government plans to produce over two million metric tonnes of grain through the Targeted Command Agriculture programme, which will see 2,000 farmers across the country being supported with inputs and equipment, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

The programme is part of a raft of interventions Government is putting in place to ameliorate the effects of climate change and the resultant food shortages underpinned by irrigation infrastructure development.

Launching the National Desilting Programme in the Musengezi area of Chegutu District in Mashonaland West province yesterday, VP Mnangagwa said the Government would not brook underutilisation of water bodies with potential for irrigation.

“There is a need for careful planning to ensure there are no food shortages in the country. As Government, we have come up with measures which will ensure that we reach food self sufficiency in the shortest possible time,” said VP Mnangagwa.

“Our programmes are after a realisation that we have experienced successive droughts but as a country we are endowed with many water bodies that can be used for irrigation so that we have summer and winter cropping.”

Under the Targeted Command Agriculture programme, 200 farmers from each province are identified and supported by Government with inputs including chemicals, seed and equipment enough to plant 200ha.

The farmers need to produce at least five tonnes of grain including wheat and maize per hectare with provision to retain any excess above the threshold for their use.

Farmers are expected to plant twice in winter and summer.

VP Mnangagwa said those near dams and other water bodies who failed to utilise the water for agriculture would have to make way for those who can.

“We have agreed as Government that all those near dams should be supported with irrigation infrastructure but if one does not want to use the water to produce then they have to move and stay away from water bodies to make way for those who can,” he said.

The programmes, he said would be supported with equipment including tractors and irrigation infrastructure sourced from Brazil under the More Food for Africa programme, Belarus, Russia and China among others.

He said the programme complements the one that had seen the resuscitation of ARDA farms across the country, which would see them progressively raising capacity to put 1,000ha each under grain at any given time.

The development will also see processing plants being set up on the farms for beneficiation and value addition.

VP Mnangagwa also launched the National Desilting programme, which seeks to increase the holding capacity of dams across the country, which are now filled with silt due to stream bank cultivation and other poor farming methods.

At least 3,000 small, medium and large dams are set to undergo desilting in a two pronged approach which will also incorporate the food for work programme aimed at assisting food insecure households.

Mashonaland West province will have around 120 dams undergo desilting to increase their capacity, while the ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development will provide irrigation equipment and technical support.

Environment, Water and Climate Minister Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the desilting programme would help communities generate income as they would have to sell the sand.

“The programme is good in that it will also give communities an opportunity to make money to assist their irrigation projects with fencing and other things they need,” she said.

Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri said desilting of dams would breathe life into struggling irrigation schemes and help mitigate the effects of drought.

Dongaronga Dam, which supports Rudaviro Irrigation Scheme in Musengezi, is undergoing desilting as water levels had gone down.

Mashonaland West Minister of State Cde Faber Chidarikire welcomed the desiltation programme as a key in mitigating hunger in the province and expressed the province’s readiness to support it.

Rural Development, Preservation and Promotion of Culture and Heritage Minister Cde Abedinico Ncube, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister Cde Tapuwa Matangaidze, Permanent secretary in the President’s Office responsible for DDF, Mr James Jonga, Environment, Water and Climate permanent secretary Mr Prince Mupazviriwo, among others attended the launch.