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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

GOVERNMENT is working on a horticultural programme which will result in every household countrywide having a citrus orchard while every village will have a nutritional garden or fish project, to enhance food security and nutritional health both at household and national level.

An assessment is being done to identify suitable pieces of land for nutritional gardens and fish ponds while a research is being done to identify fruit trees that can be grown at each part of the country.

This is in line with Government vision to devolve economic activities to local areas for development through available natural resources.

The idea of localised horticulture also seeks to promote value addition where communities can grow fruits and sell to the local market as well as to processing companies.

Agricultural Extension Services officer in charge of Matabeleland North and Bulawayo Mr Dumisani Nyoni said there will be a launch of the programme once logistics are concluded.

This will add to several other Government programmes aimed at capacitating farmers and other sectors of the economy.

“There will be a programme for horticulture whereby where there is water there will be nutritional gardens. We are waiting for the launch and the target will be that each household be given say 10 seedlings to plant with the idea of having more fruit trees grown by many people and ensuring food security at household level and value addition.

“Currently what is being finalised is to see which trees can be grown in which area so that as much as they will feed their families, households can sell in their localities and also to processing companies to make juice and other canned products,” said Mr Nyoni.

He said the idea is to encourage local production and boost food security and self-sufficiency.

This will complement the ongoing Intwasa, a climate proofed Presidential Input scheme whose idea is to ensure food sufficiency at household level.

“Another component is that of community gardens in every ward where communities will be growing vegetables for daily consumption and for sale even to the urban market as we try to improve nutrition, ” added Mr Nyoni.

He encouraged communities to start identifying suitable land with water and also fruits that can grow in their areas.

-@ncubeleon