Pfumvudza To Be Extended To 3.5 Million Households - Govt
The government says it is targetting 3.5 million households for the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme for the 2022/2023 summer cropping season.
This was revealed by the chief director for strategic planning and business development in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Clemence Bwenje, on Thursday.
He was speaking during a capacity building workshop for Parliament’s Agriculture Portfolio Committee that was meant to strengthen legislators’ capacity in monitoring and tracking the Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) allocated to the ministry. Said Bwenje:
The Pfumvudza scheme is targeting 3.5 million households in communal areas, A1 farmers, old resettlement areas and peri-urban farmers (this year).
The programme will target crops such as maize, traditional grains, beans, sunflower and vegetables.
The input pack will include water retention enhancers that will enhance the water retention capacity of the soil.
You understand that the issue of mulch in most of our areas is a challenge so these water retention enhancers will come in handy.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union president Abdul Nyathi on Thursday welcomed the extension of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme. He said:
Pfumvudza has never disappointed since it was introduced. It has been a successful story benefiting both small-scale farmers and commercial farmers.
As farmers, we appreciate the Government for initiating Pfumvudza and increasing the number of households benefiting because it is very reliable and they will see an increased yield.
It is guaranteed that we are given everything that we need including the seed and the yield gives room for exporting maize.
Pfumvudza is a crop production intensification approach under which farmers ensure the efficient use of resources (inputs and labour) on a small area of land in order to optimize its management.
Pfumvudza involves the utilisation of small pieces of land and applying the correct agronomic practices for higher returns.
It has been defined as a climate-proofing agricultural concept which emphasises the use of conservation farming techniques to make the most out of small pieces of land.
More: The Herald
