Vice President Kembo Mohadi has launched the free tillage and the 2019/20 Cottco Presidential inputs schemes in Binga to capacitate farmers to produce more this forthcoming season.
In line with the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), government is on an aggressive drive to boost agricultural production, with the sector being a key pillar of the economy.
Addressing jubilant farmers in Lusulu, Binga this Saturday where he rolled out the free tillage and Cottco presidential inputs schemes, Vice President Kembo Mohadi underscored the importance of reviving cotton production.
“The cotton farmer is valuable to us. This is even more important in that the sector is in the hands of communal farmers. Supporting the communal farmer positively contributes to the eradication of rural poverty, improves the people’s livelihood and assures us of achieving common prosperity. After the cotton industry experienced the slump in production government then launched presidential cotton inputs scheme to help farmers. This is meant to not only grow productivity but broaden and include new cotton farmers in the fold,” he said.
The Vice President also urged the cotton sector to improve on beneficiation of the white gold.
“I would however want to challenge the Cottco management to go further and value add the cotton lint into yarn. It is true that if we export the yarn we can double the foreign currency earned from lint. Subsequently, if we export the processed fabric, we can increase the foreign currency earned five-fold. The government is ready to assist as this would increase our forex inflows and also save foreign currency that is being used to import clothes and fabrics,” he said.
The Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs, Cde Richard Moyo said the launched schemes will boost agricultural production by communal farmers.
“Matebeleland north greatly appreciates the efforts by His Excellency, President of Zimbabwe, Cde Mnangagwa for this empowerment drive to our rural farmers in terms of availing inputs and tillage services. Therefore I would want to encourage all our farmers and beneficiaries of these schemes to utilize the inputs in the manner which is productive for the benefit of the community and nation at large,” he said.
Cde Mohadi capped the eventful day by donating sixty (60) tonnes of rice to the Lusulu community.
