The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
THE uptake of the Climate-Proofed Presidential Inputs Programme (Pfumvudza) in Manicaland has reached the 70 percent mark and is expected to increase as more small-holder farmers race against time to dig holes and gather mulch to get their share of the inputs.
The bulk of the inputs are already in the province and are being distributed on a first come basis.
Statistics released from Agritex Manicaland last week on Wednesday showed that 365 805 farmers have been trained under the programme.
A total of 165 021 farmers have already dug up holes on their plots, which is about 67 percent of the targeted households in the province.
Manicaland is targeting 250 000 households under the programme.
Of the trained 365 805 trained small-holder farmers, 206 483 are females, while 159 322 are males.
At 102 008, women constitute the bulk of farmers that have dug holes and gathered mulch, compared to their male counterparts (65 866).
Manicaland provincial Agritex officer, Mrs Phillipa Rwambiwa said they have conducted 11 238 training sessions and held 5 177 meetings to ensure the programme is resoundingly embraced.
In her summary of Presidential Inputs’ distribution, also released last Wednesday, Mrs Rwambiwa said 134 725 tonnes of seed maize in 5kg packs were received in the province.
Mrs Rwambiwa said 175 tonnes of sorghum seed in 2kg packs were also received, of which 44 tonnes have been distributed among 22 197 beneficiaries.
A balance of 131 tonnes in still in storage.
She said 135 tonnes in 5kg packs of soya beans were received, with 91 tonnes having been distributed to 19 214 beneficiaries.
Mrs Rwambiwa added that 8 789 tonnes of Compound D fertiliser was received in Manicaland, with 6 617 tonnes having already been distributed to 128 391 beneficiaries.
The province has 2 125 tonnes of the basal fertiliser in stock.
The province received 1 220 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate, of which 1 123 tonnes have been distributed to 22 478 small-holder beneficiaries.
About 190 tonnes of Urea were received, with 178 tonnes having already been distributed to 3 557 beneficiaries, thereby leaving a balance of 12 tonnes.
On pesticides, 34 000 tonnes were received, with 20 108 tonnes distributed to 20 108 beneficiaries.
A total of 456 tonnes of lime were received, with 313 tonnes distributed to 3 557 beneficiaries.
“Delivery of lime is behind time. Liming was supposed to have been done before August 31 but some districts are yet to get it as transportation of inputs from the Grain Marketing Board to the distribution points is proving to be expensive,” said Mrs Rwambiwa.
The uptake of pearl millet (mhunga), which is one of the drought resistant crops, is relatively low, with 1.3 tonnes having been distributed out of the 15 tonnes received in the province.
So far, only 1 280 beneficiaries have received their mhunga allocation.
The Pfumvudza programme is one of the key points in the Agriculture Recovery Plan, a blueprint aimed at reversing declining production and productivity trends in the agricultural sector.
It will put agriculture on a firm foundation to contribute significantly to a pro-poor and inclusive economic growth trajectory, which is key to the attainment of Vision 2030.
