Government looks forward to agriculture survey

AGRICULTURE minister Anxious Masuka says the government is looking forward to the findings of the 2022 Agriculture Sector Survey, which will be released this month.
The survey is the brainchild of The Financial Gazette and the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society, in partnership with CBZ Bank. Findings from the 2022 edition will be made public at a breakfast meeting in Harare on November 23.

Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka

“Since the launch of the survey, the government has looked at the findings as providing much-needed additional information for planning purposes. I hope this will continue to be the case, so objectivity is key.

“I also hope that the survey can highlight the many areas where we are doing well, while not shying away from equally highlighting areas where we have not done so well, and areas we have neglected,” Masuka said.

The theme for this year’s survey is Agricultural Transformation: Adaptation, Productivity, Value Chains and Masuka said this speaks to the government’s current focus on agriculture.

“The ministry uses a value chain approach to enhance transformation and development for the identified 25 crops and horticulture value chains, and nine livestock value chains.

“The theme, therefore, rhymes with the government’s current agricultural thrust, so I hope the findings will really complement our current efforts at transforming this important sector,” Masuka said.

He said the government was realigning different structures and key agriculture institutions to position the sector for inevitable rapid growth.
“We have introduced innovative cost-cutting extension methods. We have changed our agricultural colleges’ delivery system from Agricultural Extension 2.0 to Agricultural Education for Development 5.0.

“We have formed stakeholder groups to provide platforms for the exchange of ideas with the private sector and farmers. But we can do much more. At our parastatals, we classed them in 2020 into a Reform, Restructure, Transform Matrix,” Masuka said.

He added that Cabinet approved the country’s summer 2022/23 crop and livestock programme early because of the geopolitical conflict in Eastern Europe.

“This conflict has impacts on global supply chains and inputs for agriculture such as fertiliser and fuel. The 2022/23 summer programme focuses on achieving food, feed and fibre security for the nation,” Masuka said.

“This will be achieved through government support for 3,5 million households under the Climate Proofed Presidential Input Programme and by ensuring that crops grown and livestock raised are determined by agroecological requirements,” Masuka added.

“We are also accelerating climate-proofing strategies for smallholder farmers by imposing mandatory preconditions for the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme, such as training, holing out, liming, and mulching, including herbicide and water retention enhancers in input packages.”
This comes as Zimbabwe is expecting a wheat harvest of 386 000 metric tonnes, which, against a requirement of 360 000 metric tonnes, will see the country begin to build a small strategic reserve, making Zimbabwe and Ethiopia the only two nations in Africa with sufficient local production of wheat.

“We must carry this momentum into summer and produce a record maize crop, a record traditional grains crop, a record tobacco crop, and a record cotton crop. This is possible,” Masuka said. See full interview on Page 10.
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