‘Policies creating youthful farmers’
Government’s targeted support to agriculture is creating a new generation of young farmers that are increasingly moving from urban to rural areas, President Mnangagwa has said.
In his remarks during a meeting with ZANU PF members in Malawi held on the sidelines of the 41st Summit of Heads of State and Government in Lilongwe yesterday, the President said there were multiple initiatives being pursued to increase both production and productivity in the sector.
“Right now, because of the land reform and empowerment structures that we have created as the Second Republic, especially after the funding windows we have created to support farmers, particularly young farmers, we can now see movement from urban to rural.
“You can now see young people from universities and colleges asking why they have been wasting time in urban areas and taking stock of their successes . . . That is attracting young people migrating from the urban set-up to a rural set-up,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said Government was supporting farmers with inputs, the mechanisation programme and capacitation of agricultural extension workers.
All the country’s more than 5 000 extension workers have since been given motorcycles to improve mobility.
The country in planning to put a targeted hectarage under irrigation within the next three farming seasons to guarantee food security.
During the forthcoming 2021/2022 cropping season, President Mnangagwa added, the number of farmers under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme is likely to double.
He had the opportunity to apprise the party members of successes scored by Government in stabilising and growing the economy.
“We introduced the auction (foreign currency auction system). Initially, we were paying something like US$15 million a week, now we are paying between US$45 million to US$48 million per week. We also have a platform for small and medium enterprises,” he added.
ZANU PF Malawi chair Mr Tendai Chambati said members were canvassing for support as they wanted to contribute to the success of the ruling party at home.
“We want to help ZANU PF at home. We have many people in Malawi; we want to canvass for their support. We also want to educate them where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going,” he said.
The members made a commitment to help raise part of the US$140 million that the party wants to bankroll the 2023 campaign.
The meeting was also attended by ZANU PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Malawi Dr Nancy Saungweme.-herald.cl.zw
