Story by Grace Sibanda
Wheat farmers have put 121 345 hectares of the crop against the government’s target of 120 000.
This came out during a wheat field day held at Mswelangubo Farm, in Matabeleland North Province.
Zimbabwean farmers have gone full throttle to ensure every inch of irrigable land is put under wheat, contributing to government’s set target of achieving a yield of 600 000 metric tonnes at harvest time.
Farmer and ZANU PF secretary general Dr Obert Mpofu, who is the owner of Mswelangubo Farm, is playing his role in contributing a significant hectarage to the achievement of government’s set target.
“We have 50 hectares of land and we are anticipating nothing less than 100 metric tonnes of yield. We have a challenge that people have land but are under utilising it and others are selling land but government is pushing that people to utilise this land and we all work together towards building our land collectively,” he said.
Government continues to encourage wheat farming as this will go a long way in meeting domestic demand, reducing imports as well as improving the country’s food security.
“Increased wheat is vital, not only to meet domestic demand but to also reduce our reliance on imports and improve our food security,” said the Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Honourable Vangelis Haritatos.
Despite the country being hard hit by the El-Nino-induced drought, the government has adopted a wheat-based food security thrust.
