Mwenezi (New Ziana) – Perennially food deficient Mwenezi district in Masvingo is this year delivering maize and other grains to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) for the first time in many years, an achievement thanks in large part to a combination of good rains and government support to farmers.
The government launched the climate-proof Pfumvudza farming scheme last season under which small-scale farmers countrywide were given timely farming inputs to complement the already existing presidential agriculture input programme, resulting in a big boost to agricultural output this year.
Nearly three million tonnes of grains, mainly maize, is estimated to have been produced last season, which is the country’s biggest farm harvest in 20 years.
In Mwenezi district, which perennially depended on food handouts, farming officials said agricultural output in the area had also increased this year, resulting in grain deliveries to the GMB.
As at August 18, 2021, a total of 1 393.3 tonnes of maize,1 905 tonnes of red sorghum, 101 tonnes of white sorghum, 2435 tonnes of millet and 20 tonnes of groundnuts had been delivered to the GMB in the district.
In response to the increase in agricultural output in Mwenezi this year, the GMB has had to set up several mobile grain collection points in the area.
These were set up at Maranda, Sagwari, Mupfula, Velcom and Mwenezana Estate.
New Ziana
