Government is targeting to produce 2.8 million tonnes of grain in the 2020/21 farming season, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Settlement, Dr Anxious Masuka has revealed.
Addressing Journalists in the Harare recently, Dr Masuka said with better rains the country was set to produce better yields.
“With predicted better rains this season. We believe we can establish a firm basis of assuring the nation of food security. We plan to produce an unprecedented 2 800 000 tonnes of grains during the 2020/2021 season,” said Masuka.
The Presidential Inputs Scheme which has been rebranded to Climate-Proofed Presidential Input Support Programme (Pfumvudza), is targeting two million vulnerable households.
A total of 1, 9 million farmers have been trained for Pfumvudza programme while others have been registered for inputs.
“Relating to Pfumvudza close to 1 200 000 households have already established Pfumvudza plots. An upwards of 25-30% of Pfumvudza inputs are already on ground,” said Masuka.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Food Day today. The day is being commemorated under the theme Grow, nourish, sustain. Together, our actions are our future.
“For us in Zimbabwe it is a day of reflection, it is a day of introspection, it is a day to recommit ourselves to ensure we attain national food security” said the Minister
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, June Zimbabwe country brief, prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people assessed to be food insecure in the February-June 2020 period, was estimated at about 4.34 million, accounting for 45 percent of the rural population.
With Climate change and Covid-19 wreaking havoc, the World Food Programme estimates that 7.7 million people in Zimbabwe are set to be food insecure by the end of the year.
World Food Programme Country Representative and Director, Francesca Erdelmann said collaboration is key in fighting hunger.
“Today we celebrate our partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe and all our partners. The only way to achieve Zero Hunger is to put all our hands on deck. More than ever, there is a need for solidarity to help all people, and especially the most vulnerable, to confront the challenges we are facing. – climate change and COVID-19,” she said.
