Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT is addressing the inputs distribution challenges faced by farmers under the Command Agriculture scheme as this is affecting their productivity.

This emerged on Wednesday during a meeting between farmers under the Command Agriculture scheme in Matabeleland North and ministers at Mary Ellen Farm in Bubi District, Matabeleland North.

The Minister of State in the President’s Office Responsible for Agriculture Implementation David Marapira; Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Douglas Karoro and Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo attended the meeting together with senior Government officials.

Farmers commended the Command Agriculture scheme saying if correctly implemented it would be key in ensuring that the country attains food security and help to achieve Vision 2030.

The farmers said they were facing challenges when it comes to the distribution of farming inputs as well as access to mechanisation inputs including tractors and combine harvesters.

One of the farmers, Mr Themba Ncube said delays in the distribution of inputs was even affecting their planned winter wheat cropping.

“In farming, there is no time to waste because when you plan to plant on a certain day you have to make sure that on that day you plant.

Some of us would have hired tractors to do the tilling for us but without inputs it makes it impossible to plant. Our problems emanate from CBZ which is in charge of distribution of the inputs. It delays in the distribution of inputs sometimes you get the seed first and fertiliser later. There is no coherent way of distributing the farming inputs, which creates problems for us,” said Mr Ncube.

He said there is too much paperwork and delays in the distribution of inputs, which affects farmers’ productivity.

His sentiments were echoed by Minister Moyo, who is also a farmer in the province, saying that the Command Agriculture inputs distribution scheme was moving smoothly when it was managed by Agritex before CBZ took charge of the programme.

He said he was forced to buy diesel to ensure that he planted on time as his fuel coupons were only delivered yesterday.

“This means that a farmer who cannot afford to buy fuel using foreign currency might not have planted his winter wheat crop on time.

Honourable Minister we want you to take the message that is coming from the farmers to the President, His Excellency ED Mnangagwa as you have heard. The farmers fully appreciate the Command Agriculture scheme but they have these challenges which can affect their productivity,” said Minister Moyo.

He said farmers would be happy if challenges posed by CBZ in the distribution of inputs are attended to on time so that farmers do not spend their time in offices but on the fields where they are productive.

Minister Marapira said Government was seriously addressing challenges in the agriculture ministry considering its strategic positioning to the economy.

He said issues delays in the distribution of inputs was a thing of the past as farmers would be provided adequate inputs before the start of every farming season.

“On the issue to do with Command Agriculture, we are hoping to have our inputs in September, diesel in September, fertiliser in September at the same time we are going to have our top dressing at the end of September. This I’m not telling you (referring to farmers), I’m telling the Minister of Agriculture what he is going to do. I’m telling the Minister of Agriculture that by end of September we will have all our inputs,” he said.

“That means by the beginning of October those who are planting early should have everything. The same applies to winter farming season.

We are going to have all inputs by the end of March. Winter farming season starts 15 April to 30 May. Farmers should not go about complaining like what is being done. We expect them to produce better because they will have their inputs in time.”

Deputy Minister Karoro said as the Ministry had noted the challenges faced by farmers and would make sure the challenges are addressed.

“I accompanied Hon Mapapira so that we could hear the challenges that you are facing as farmers from Matabeleland North. I’m happy that the challenges that we have heard here are genuine, these are challenges not cooked up by of Agritex officers but these are challenges coming from you, farmers. I’m sure like you all said, Command Agriculture is a very good programme but it has challenges that you want addressed. I’m happy to say, our President is a listening President, from here myself and Hon Marapira we will brief our leaders that these are challenges that are coming from the farmers,” said Deputy Minister Karoro.

He said President Mnangagwa has started addressing some of the challenges affecting farmers and already Government has procured some mechanization equipment which will be delivered to the province.

“We have also heard of the challenges regarding combined harvesters that there is only one harvester to service the whole province. I want to assure you Hon Minister (Marapira) that we have combine harvesters in Harare, we will attend to their issue and when you return to do your monitoring programmes there will be some changes. This would be a thing of the past. We will make sure to bring combine harvesters that are enough for the province. This also applies to the issue of tractors, we have tractors under the CBZ scheme and Belarus arrangement, these tractors have to come to the people. A sizable number will come to this province because of the challenges that have been highlighted,” he said.

Deputy Minister Karoro said it would have been better if the farmers CBZ has attended the meeting so that it could address some of the challenges raised by the farmers.

He said CBZ has played a critical role towards the successful implementation of the Command Agriculture programme and they will continue to work with the bank to iron out challenges.

To wrap up the meeting, farmers toured Mary Ellen Farm which is involved in multi-crop planting including maize, wheat, lucina grass, and livestock and is among the leading farms in Matabeleland region. — @nqotshili