Command agriculture to continue for next 10 years

Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Elson Moyo

THE Command Agriculture programme introduced by Government in 2016 will continue for the next 10 years as it has proved to be a success, an official has said.

In his address at the Africa regional conference in Victoria Falls on Wednesday, Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Elson Moyo said Command Agriculture has had a huge impact on Zimbabwe’s economy.

PKF Chartered Accountants, an international accounting and audit firm with offices in Zimbabwe, hosted the rotational conference on behalf of Zimbabwe.

“Command Agriculture was introduced to ensure food and nutrition security and it has already proved that it can be the main vehicle that can be used to bring back Zimbabwe’s economy to a growth trajectory,” said Air Marshal Moyo.

He said the results based programme covers crops, livestock, fisheries and wildlife and had benefited the value chain in transport, manufacturing and engineering sectors through employment and improvement of living standards.

“The challenges in access to finance resulted in low productivity on farms and Command Agriculture came in to avail resources. We foresee Agribank coming back to fund as Government gradually moves out. Imports are too high and we have to work towards self-sustainability and we foresee Command Agriculture going on for 10 years to come,” Air Marshal Moyo said.

He said Government was inviting private partners to fund the programme at an interest rate not exceeding four percent as it crafts its way out of being the sole financier.

The Office of the President and Cabinet oversees Command Agriculture while the private sector focuses on financing.

Command Agriculture starts with supply of inputs to processing and marketing.

Air Marshal Moyo said the target is to put 400 000 hectares under maize, 60 000ha under soya beans and 50 000ha under wheat.

He said the programme also seeks to improve the livestock herd and quality including beef, sheep, dairy, goats, piggery, poultry, fisheries and wildlife management.

“The first season attracted 54 000 participating maize farmers who planted 171 255ha and 2 031 winter wheat farmers who planted 49 749ha. In total 1, 2 million tonnes of maize and 186 000 tonnes of wheat were delivered.

“This has had an impact on the economy creating employment in the irrigation sector where more than $30 million was put. It has not only ensured food security for the country but also created wealth,” said Air Marshal Moyo.

“The industrial sector had plummeted to its lowest and the coming in of Command Agriculture increased demand for inputs and companies got a new lease of life. This also includes the transport sector while the $16 million given for livestock restocking will resuscitate the Cold Storage Company.”

Air Marshal Moyo said efforts are being made to develop appropriate technologies to improve efficiency in the sector.

PKF Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Sydney Bvurere urged all actors in the value chain including farmers and the private sector to support Command Agriculture.

The theme for the conference was: “Branding Together.”

— @ncubeleon