Story by Tamuka Charakupa
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development has commended progress made in winter wheat farming under the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA)’s joint venture schemes, following a tour of projects in Mashonaland West Province.
The province’s winter wheat target of 35 000 hectares has received a significant boost, with 15 000 hectares already contracted under ARDA’s joint ventures. One of the major beneficiaries, Mr Tichaona Mapfoche, who intends to plant over 750 hectares of wheat this season, highlighted the positive impact of government support.
“We are currently harvesting our maize summer crop where we had planted at least 750 hectares and now averaging at least 6,8 tonnes per hectare. As soon as we finish we are going to replace the same hectarage with wheat. We are already in possession of our inputs and fertilisers from ARDA,” he said.
ARDA Acting Director, Mr Forbes Maodza said they have contracted over 60 000 hectares countrywide this season.
“In Mashonaland West, we contracted 15 000 hectares with plating currently at over 8 750 hectares. At the national level we have a target of 60 000 hectares but we have since exceeded to close to 62 000 hectares following an overwhelming response by farmers,” he said.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development has expressed satisfaction with the progress in winter wheat planting to date.
”We have visited ARDA joint ventures here in Mashonaland West to have an appreciation of this government scheme. Quite impressive is the fact that ARDA has disbursed seed and inputs on time giving the farmer ample time to prepare accordingly. The feedback from contracted farmers is an appreciation of this initiative in capacitating farmers,” Portfolio Committee chairperson, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development, Hon Felix Saul Maburutse said.
“What we are witnessing is a fulfilment of government’s inclusivity programming where no one and no place is being left behind. The success of these joint venture projects will position us on the right path as far as our national wheat-based diet is concerned,” committee member, Hon Engineer Wilson Mhuru said.
Meanwhile, the government has introduced a number of measures to capacitate both small-scale and commercial farmers towards achieving the national wheat target of 120 000 hectares.
