Government farming programme, Pfumvudza is expected to support over two million households in Zimbabwe; Information and Publicity Minister Monica Mutsvangwa revealed last week in Harare.
Pfumvudza is a crop production intensification approach under which farmers ensure the efficient use of resources (inputs and labour) on a small area of land in order to optimize its management according to the Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO).
The 2.2 million households is an increase from the once estimated 1.8 million.
Mutsvangwa said,”. All the 2.2 million families enrolled had been automatically entered in the Pfumvudza competition for all the crops.”
“A total of 2 139 275 households had been trained on Pfumvudza.”
Besides Pfumvudza, the government has other agricultural programmes which include National Enhanced Crop Productivity Programme; Presidential Cotton Programme; Tobacco sector programme; livestock growth plan; and the mechanization support programme.
Mutsvangwa said that on National enhanced Crop productivity Programme, 285 440 hectares of the targeted 290 000 hectares had been registered by 11 829 farmers, and 43 067 hectares had been registered for soya bean out of the targeted 60 000 hectares by 932 farmers.
“Pertaining to the Presidential Cotton Programme, Cabinet approved cotton ”Pfumvudza” pack comprising 6kg seed, 80kg basal fertiliser, 40kg top dressing and the prerequisite herbicides and chemicals reducing the seed allocation from 20kg seed to match fertilizers provided,” she said.
“Concerning preparedness for the 2020/2021 season in the tobacco sector, Cabinet noted that a total area of 28 292 hectares had been planted as at 25 November 2020, compared to 27 181 hectares planted in the previous season”
Four hundred and fifty (450) tractors had been received for distribution to farmers on the 474 tractors expected.
Anaylsts have however criticised government agricultural programmes with allegations that over US$2 billion was missing from last year’s Command Agricultural.
Allegations are also that government once took over a debt of up to US$1.3 billion from farmers after a farm mechanisation programme in 2015