Irrigation

Over 500 000 hectares of maize will be irrigated this summer cropping season, with seed and fertiliser manufacturers getting major incentives from Government.

The Agriculture Rural Development Authority has lately shown flickers of life and is also expected to bolster grain output.

This and more will be rolled out under Government’s highly mechanised 2015/16 food security plan which targets beating drought and lethargic preparations.

The initiative involves both A1 and A2 farmers getting tractors and irrigation equipment under Brazil’s US$38 million More Food for Africa Programme.

Eight irrigation schemes with hundreds of farmers will benefit and irrigable land will be expanded from 300 000 to 500 000ha.

Further, authorities will exempt seed and fertiliser raw materials from excise duty and protect selected domestic fertiliser producers by levying imports.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister (Cropping, Mechanisation and Irrigation) Mr Davis Marapira projected a much improved season.

“Equipment under the Brazil More Food for Africa Programme is being distributed as we speak. These tractors and irrigation equipment will be directed to eight irrigation schemes to guarantee high yields.

‘‘Each scheme has hundreds of farmers, and all this will see us with about 500 000 hectares of land under irrigation. “Agriculture contributes 70 percent of raw materials to our industries. As such, these industries should plough back and strike partnerships with farmers. Government only comes in to lay policy and provide the right environment for the sector to flourish while guaranteeing the Strategic Grain Reserve.”

He added: “We believe by setting up institutions like the Agricultural Marketing Authority and Agritex, we have created the right environment; the onus is now on industry, farmers, banks, input producers and other stakeholders to support the sector.

“We are going to give subsidies to input manufacturers, though we are still working with Treasury on the specific subsidies.

‘‘We want to ensure these companies are exempted from duty.

“We have imposed duty on fertiliser imports to protect local industry. We did not, however, impose duty on fertiliser that is not produced locally – like potash.”

Cde Marapira said the ministry was pushing Treasury to clear US$40 million owed to farmers who delivered maize to the Grain Marketing Board last season.

The Agricultural Marketing Authority is expected to issue Treasury Bills to raise additional funds for this purpose.

“If farmers are paid before the onset of the rainy season, they will be able to use the money to buy inputs. So, we want people to be paid within seven days of delivering grain.

“… Arda is a good example of how public-private partnerships help. I am sure they will record success as all Arda’s partnerships have come up with 10 000 centre pivots. This means Arda alone will this season produce 100 000 tonnes of maize and 70 000 tonnes of wheat. If we have such projects around the country, we will go a long way in ensuring food security.”

In 2014/15, Zimbabwe failed to meet its 1,8 million metric tonne requirement due to poor rains and flooding, which affected most of Sadc.

About 500 000 of the two million hectares of maize were a write-off.

Government and grain millers are importing grain mainly from Zambia – one of the few Southern African countries to produce a surplus of the region’s staple food.

This season, Treasury has allocated US$91 million to agriculture against an aggregate requirement of US$1,7 billion for crop and livestock production.

It will also assist 300 000 vulnerable households via input support schemes worth US$28 million.