Govt plans 1.8 million maize hectarage

New Ziana – The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development is targeting to put 1.8 million hectares under maize in the coming summer cropping season, a senior government official has said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Professor Obert Jiri said to achieve this milestone, the Ministry had segregated production into four main programs – Pfumvudza/Intwasa, National Enhanced Agricultural Productive Scheme, Small-holder and Commercial Farmers and Agricultural and Rural Development Authority Scheme.

The climate proofed Pfumvudza/Intwasa under the Presidential Inputs support scheme has been hailed as an inclusive game changer benefiting vulnerable households in communal, A1, small-scale commercial farming and old resettlement areas in producing cereals, oil seeds and legumes.

Under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa scheme, there are about 3.5 million beneficiaries across the country. Prof Jiri urged Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme beneficiaries to prepare their farm plots before the distribution of inputs in September.

He said the National Enhanced Agricultural Productive Scheme (NEAPS), which is an institutionalised government-guaranteed financing model providing credit facilities to A2 farmers, in fronted by CBZ agro-yield, AFC, NMB and other banks.

CBZ Agro-Yield (Private) Limited is a subsidiary of CBZ Holdings Zimbabwe whose aim is to assist the government in meeting its objectives of empowering farmers, creating employment and increasing food production.

CBZ Agro-Yield, in conjunction with the government through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Ministry of Agriculture, are the major stakeholders in the National Enhanced Agriculture Productivity Scheme

The aim of NEAPS is to ensure food self-sufficiency in Zimbabwe through the support of wheat, maize and soyabean production.