Story by Tamuka Charakupa
THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has launched an agricultural productivity drive aimed at enhancing national food security while promoting institutional self-reliance in line with the Second Republic’s Vision 2030.
The initiative, spearheaded by ZPCS Commissioner-General Dr Moses Chihobvu, seeks to transform underutilised land into productive farming units that support national food production, improve officer welfare, and enhance rehabilitation programmes for inmates.
On Saturday, a delegation of senior security sector officers toured Delamore Farm in Darwendale, Mashonaland West, owned by Officer Commanding the province, Commissioner Luke Makuvire. The farm serves as a model of productivity, with 100 hectares under maize, 20 hectares under groundnuts, and one hectare of butternut squash, all on dry land.
“This initiative demonstrates how the security sector is fully aligned with His Excellency the President’s Vision 2030, which places food security at the centre of national development. As the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service, we are committed to ensuring that we contribute meaningfully through agricultural productivity. At Delamore Farm, we have put land to effective use, with maize, groundnuts and horticulture being produced on dry land. This shows that with discipline, planning and innovation, agriculture can succeed even under challenging conditions. We are also promoting partnerships and joint ventures, particularly with landowners who may not be adequately capacitated, because collaboration is key to unlocking the full potential of our land resources and guaranteeing food security for the nation,” ZPCS, Officer Commanding Mashonaland West Province, Commissioner Luke Makuvire said.
Commissioner-General Chihobvu said the productivity campaign is meant to motivate officers at all levels to start small and grow sustainably.
“This productivity drive is meant to inculcate a culture of self-reliance within the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service. We want our officers, particularly junior officers, to be encouraged and motivated to utilise whatever land is available to them, starting at a level they are comfortable with and gradually expanding. Agriculture is not only about production, but also about empowerment, rehabilitation and improving the welfare of our officers and their families.
“ When families are involved, farming ventures become sustainable and impactful. Government continues to support such initiatives through extension services, technical guidance and policy direction, and we urge our officers to take full advantage of this support as we work together to enhance national food security, ZPSC, Commissioner-General, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, Dr Moses Chihobvu noted.
Government is urging farmers to treat agriculture as a business, emphasising the importance of proper record-keeping, adherence to recommended planting dates and soil analysis to improve yields.
“As the Ministry of Agriculture, we continue to emphasise that farming must be approached as a business. Proper record-keeping is critical for tracking costs, yields and profitability. Farmers should also adhere to recommended planting dates and conduct soil analysis to ensure that crops are well matched to soil conditions.
“ If these principles are followed, productivity increases and losses are minimised. This season, indications from the province point towards a positive outcome, and we are currently finalising crop assessments, which are expected to confirm a bumper harvest for Mashonaland West,” Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Acting Mashonaland Provincial Director, Mrs Evelyn Ndoro said.
Government is currently conducting a nationwide assessment of crops, livestock and fisheries projects, with Mashonaland West province having planted over 350 thousand this summer season, exceeding the 340-thousand-hectare target.
