Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
GOVERNMENT has made significant progress in its agricultural recovery plan aimed at transforming farming into a business that can drive the economy towards the attainment of Vision 2030, with agricultural extension officers already capicitated with motorbikes.

This was said by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka during a question and answer session in Parliament.

This comes as the country, especially Matabeleland region, which has over the years been largely characterised by low rainfall and poor yields, is expecting to harvest enough maize and traditional grains to last more than 12 months.

The country received above-normal rainfall for the 2020/2021 season which started in November for most provinces and maize production stands at about 2,7 million tonnes while small grains harvest is estimated at 347 969 tonnes, according to the latest Crop and Livestock Assessment report issued by the Ministry of Lands.

This is expected to boost food security in the country and contribute towards economic revival and achievement of the upper middle-class economy by year 2030 status.

Dr Masuka was responding to a question raised by Zanu-PF proportional representation legislator (Matabeleland North) Cde Elizabeth Masuku who wanted to know Government’s plan with regards to ensuring that young people take farming seriously.

In response, Dr Masuka said farming has to be transformed to become not just a hobby or subsistence but to be a business.

He said youth are key to the transformation of agriculture.

“It is in this regard that Government is at a very advanced stage of restructuring Agritex. The Agritex that we know will be a directorate called Agricultural Advisory Services and underneath it, will be a Director for the technical capacitation of farmers and also a director responsible for training.

“We want the 18 000 A2 farmers to become businesswomen and businessmen and the 360 000 A1 farmers to become SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). We want the 1,8 million households to transition from subsistence to commercial farming and it is a journey that we can partake together to transition to that. So it is something that we have started to do and it is something that we need to do in terms of the accomplishment of Vision 2030,” said Dr Masuka.

He said Government had availed adequate resources such as motorbikes to the Agritex department in order to give officers commitment and strength to do work.

The Ministry expects to get 5 000 tablets and computers to be given to extension workers.

“What we are saying is that when we are talking of Vision 2030, agriculture is the mainstay of the economy hence the need to embark on extensive agriculture. Those who should assist the farmers are the extension officers and we have capacitated them in two ways.

“So, of the five things that we have promised to give them, we have given motorbikes to the Agritex officers who are mainly involved in livestock production and also farming. We have physically motorised them but we need to motorise them mentally for a change of attitude so that they do not become optional extensionists but transition to business advisors as we commercialise agriculture. That is the stage where we are now,” said Dr Masuka.

He said Government was cognizant of hazards in the course of duty, hence personal protection equipment and protective clothing had been availed to Agritex officers.

He said a department of in-service training has been developed to capacitate extension workers with knowledge so that when they go to meet farmers they know what they are supposed to do.

Mashonaland West proportional representation legislator Cde Goodluck Kwaramba (Zanu-PF) expressed concern about the number of accidents involving Agritex officers who had benefited from the motorbikes to which Dr Masuka said Government had tasked the Central Mechanical Department (CMED) to help.

About 72 extension officers have been involved in accidents since the rollout of the bikes, Dr Masuka said.

“We heard that more than 72 extension officers have been involved in accidents and we are saying one accident is too many. We are working with the CMED who are assisting them to be able to ride the motorcycles and to be well-versed in the use of the motorbikes for them to do their work well,” he said. — @ncubeleon