The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT is set to intensify coffee production in Manicaland amid revelations that the market price of the cash crop has risen significantly, with the price per kilogramme now pegged at US$6.50.
Secretary for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Edgars Seenza revealed this during a seminar on the church’s role in devolution processes.
The seminar was hosted by the Zimbabwe Heads of Church Denominations (ZHOCD) in Mutare last week.
“We already have a partner who has come on board saying they are ready to assist in the increased production of coffee in Manicaland.
“A kilogramme of coffee is now fetching US$6.50 and that is a lot of money that we cannot afford to let go. The good thing is that the development partner has already secured the market for the coffee and we are urging farmers to increase their output,” said Mr Seenza.
The latest increase in the price of coffee on the international market comes at a time when the price of macadamia – which is quite popular with farmers in the Eastern Highlands – has fallen by a wide margin.
“All along farmers have been solely concentrating on macadamia nuts as they used to fetch more on the international market.
“We are now encoraging farmers to diversify their farming operations and broaden their streams of revenue,” said Mr Seenza.
Mr Seenza also said crops like blueberries, pepper, pineapples, organic ginger, turmeric and garlic are on demand on the international market.
Turning to the role of the church in devolution processes, Mr Seenza applauded the ZHOCD for mobilising and capacitating communities to effectively contribute towards the process.
“The role of the church can never be underestimated in the development processes. This is why we ZHOCD for mobilising and capacitating communities to effectively contribute towards the devolution process.
“Development processes must be people oriented and we applaud ZHOCD for being alive to that fact. There is no development that leaves people behind, therefore we call upon ZHOCD and like-minded stakeholders to expedite their efforts in making sure that communities are involved in the development of their own areas,” he said.
ZHOCD brings together various Christian denomination representative bodies, including the Catholic Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches and the apostolic sects.
Speaking during the same function, Mr Eliot Vengesa, who is the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace director said: “We have teamed up with all stakeholders to promote the devolution agenda because we believe that the church is a strategic partner for Government in development and peace.
“Our main role is to create a platform for citizens to make a meaningful contribution in the development processes as well as provide systems and tools for duty bearers to be accountable to the communities they represent or serve.
“We are doing this in line with the constitutional dictates as clearly spelt out in Section 264 of our Constitution,” said Mr Vengesa.
The meeting brought together parliamentarians, local authority leaders and representatives of people with disabilities.
