Zimbabwe Update:

[Jacuma]

Let’s produce more: President Robert Mugabe

Herald Reporter

GOVERNMENT has embarked on a policy framework designed to create an
enabling environment for enhanced agricultural production, President
Mugabe has said.

Officially opening the 98th Harare Agricultural Show yesterday,
Presi-dent Mugabe said the process would take place against a backdrop
of Government’s adoption of the Millennium Development Goals, the first
of which seeks to "eradicate extreme poverty and hunger" by 2015.

"Cognisant of the need to create an enabling environment for farmers and
other players in the agricultural industry, Government has embarked on a
policy review and formulation process to come up with an Agricultural
Policy Framework for the next 20 years," he said.

President Mugabe said there is need for Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector
to strategise on practical ways of achieving maximum productivity for
food sustenance.

Government has empowered thousands of Zimbabweans by giving them access
to the means of production.

"There, however, still remains the need to mobilise, promote and support
our farmers for them to produce volumes that are commensurate with the
needs of the nation," he said.

The objective of the land reform programme, President Mugabe said,
remains the economic empowerment of the people while widening the
production base and harvesting more from the land.

"Above all, our farmers should neither be just providers of raw
materials nor mere receptacles of finished products, but also be
capacitated to produce goods for export so that the country can increase
its foreign currency earnings."

Cde Mugabe said Government was continuing to pursue irrigation
development as a long-term strategy to enhance food security.

"While efforts are being put in place to ensure the timely availability
of inputs to farmers, it was essential that farmers are paid competitive
prices for their produce to ensure viability and encourage focus on the
right crops.

"One cannot over-emphasise the growing and compelling need for us to
boost our agricultural output in order to attain food self-sufficiency
and produce a surplus for both our local industry and export markets.

"Thus the theme for this year’s show (‘Let Us Unite the Nation: Grow
Food with Determination’) is very pertinent considering that the
increases in global food prices underline the pressing need to produce
food locally and avoid the present heavy reliance on imports," he said.


Govt lifts ban on NGOs

Herald Reporter

GOVERNMENT has, with immediate effect, lifted the ban on field
operations of non-governmental organisations and private voluntary
organisations.

Under the Memorandum of Understa-nding signed between the country’s main
political parties — Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations — last month, it
was agreed that Government should look urgently into the operations of
NGOs with a view to restoring their operations.

Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Lancaster
Museka said in a statement yesterday that the lifting of the ban covered
NGOs and PVOs operating in humanitarian assistance, food aid, relief,
recovery and development; family, child care and protection; care and
protection of older persons; rights and empowerment of people with
disabilities as well as HIV and Aids treatment, care and related support
services.

"The lifting of the suspension only applies to NGOs and PVOs duly
registered in terms of the PVO Act Chapter 17:05," the statement said.

In June, the Government suspended operations of all NGOs to vet their
activities amid suspicion that most of them were dabbling in politics,
promising to lift the blanket ban after completing investigations.

Some of the organisations were allegedly telling people in rural areas
prior to the March 29 harmonised elections and the June 27 presidential
run-off poll that they would stop food distribution in the event of a
Zanu-PF victory.

The NGOs were also accused of asking unsuspecting villagers to surrender
their national identity cards before the March elections, but did not
return them, effectively depriving them of their right to vote.

The Government, however, lifted the ban on NGOs involved in
supplementary feeding schemes and HIV and Aids-related issues in June.

The ban did not affect the operations of church-related organisations
which have been conducting their duties as usual.

Underprivileged communities who rely on handouts from the organisations,
particularly those involved in humanitarian assistance, welcomed the
lifting of the ban.


More women turn to farming

Herald Reporter

DEMAND for land and interest in agriculture as a business venture among
women has increased over the years with more inquiring on how to access
land under the Land Reform Programme, the president of the Women
Farmers’ Association has said.

In an interview at the Harare Agricultural Show yesterday, Ms Phides
Mazhawidza said her organisation has been referring such inquiries to
the relevant Government departments in the provinces and districts.

"The number of women asking about the land has increased tremendously
over the years. This growing interest is not only from older women but
also the young who have seen the benefits of the Land Reform Programme.

"Our main focus is on helping female farmers to effectively use and
manage land, access inputs and mobilise resources as well as capacity
building.

"As we are not directly involved in land allocation, we help prospective
women farmers to get information from the Ministry of National Security,
Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement, which is mandated with land
redistribution," she said.

Ms Mazhawidza said her organisation was failing to meet demand for
access to inputs and resources from female farmers and was appealing to
Government to increase funding to women in the sector.

"The organisation has been overwhelmed by demand for inputs such as
maize seed and fertilizer. As a result, we are recommending female
farmers to venture into production of small grains to reduce demand for
maize and other large grain crops.

"While inputs and resource mobilisation has seen greater demand, it has
been difficult to lure women into capacity building programmes as they
do not see the immediate benefits of non-agriculture management
training. As a result, we have intensified capacity building to improve
production on the farms," she said.

A non-profit making organisation, WFA was formed with the specific
objective of catering for the interests of female farmers, facilitate
access to agriculture-related resources and policy advocacy.

It draws its membership from among commercial and non-commercial
farmers.

It also seeks to bring about equitable access to land and agricultural
resources in addition to encouraging its members to use land
productively.