Some affected communities have started receiving food aid
from Government which has also come up with intervention measures to save the
national herd as an estimated 5 000 cattle have already died due to shortage of
pastures and water.
Addressing the media during a post Cabinet media briefing
yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan
Muswere, said the grain stock reserves will last Zimbabwe until early October
next year.
He said Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural
Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka presented the situational report before
Cabinet on the country’s food security and measures being implemented to
address the adverse effects of the prevailing weather conditions.
“The nation is informed that as at 10 December, 2023, the
Grain Marketing Board had in stock a total of 235 095 tonnes of grain,
comprising 188 353 tonnes of maize and 46 742 tonnes of traditional grains.
“At the prevailing monthly consumption rate of 23 000
tonnes per month, the available grain will last 10,2 months,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the country’s wheat stocks stand at 242 508 tonnes
and will cover 11,5 months at a monthly drawdown rate of 21 000 tonnes.
Minister Muswere said while the country has adequate food
stocks, the private sector imported a total 313 719 tonnes of wheat and maize
between April 1 and December 3.
He said the private sector imported 186 341 tonnes of
maize, 121 549 tonnes of wheat and 5 829 tonnes of wheat flour.
Dr Muswere said the Government has scaled up measures to
mitigate the effects of drought on livestock in Matabeleland region, Masvingo
and Midlands provinces.
“In terms of livestock Government has instituted immediate
remedial measures including borehole drilling, hay bailing and enhanced disease
management to improve the poor livestock condition in drier provinces.
“The worst affected provinces are Matabeleland South,
Matabeleland North and Masvingo,” said Minister Muswere.
Dr Masuka last Friday visited Ngwana and Ndiweni villages
in Bulilima, Matabeleland, one of the worst affected areas in terms of
livestock mortalities and directed relevant authorities to urgently drill
boreholes for livestock watering.
Dr Muswere said the country is behind as far as the
expected hectarage to be planted is concerned compared to the same period last
year.
“Government highlights that rainfall is expected throughout
the country during the course of the week. Farmers are therefore advised that
the rainfall season has started and is likely to be short,” he said.
“As at 10 December 2023, and due to late commencement of
the rainfall season, about 95 156 hectares had been planted compared to 465 707
hectares at the same time last year,” said Dr Muswere.
He urged farmers to plant ultra-early maturity varieties
due to the short cropping season.
Dr Muswere said the Pfumvudza/Intwasa model remains
critical for climate-proofing purposes considering threats posed by El Nino.
“The country has sufficient seed in stock to meet demand,
with 40,8 percent of the available maize seed being of the early to ultra-early
maturity varieties.
“Significant progress has been recorded in farmer training
and in the preparation of Pfumvudza/Intwasa plots. Farmers have positively
responded to climate-proofing interventions with 87 percent of the targeted
11,85 million plots having been prepared,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the country is targeting to plant a total of 2 877
000 hectares inclusive of maize, sorghum, pearl millet, soya beans, sunflower,
sugar beans and cotton.
Dr Muswere said both the Government and the private sector
will finance the agricultural sector.
“Of the total hectarage, 867 500 hectares will be financed
by the Climate–Proofed Presidential Inputs Supply Scheme (Pfumvudza/Intwasa)
and the rest by CBZ, AFC, NMB and other banks as well as the private sector and
individual farmers,” said Dr Muswere. Chronicle
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