by Grace Chekai
The Pfumvudza training farming programme, which was initiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is gaining popularity even among anti-Government critics, who are failing to resist the temptation of applauding it, as a good way of sustaining Zimbabwean livelihoods.
The program is being appreciated by farmers in rural areas, a development that some opposition members have attributed to the massive support the ruling party has, from the rural areas.
A sworn Government critic, Setfree Mafukidze on his Twitter handle posted that it was just a fallacy to say that ZANU PF was no longer powerful in rural areas as the party launched a Pfumvudza program that had been widely accepted. He added that these programs made ZANU PF party more relevant in rural areas.
"I will repeat this because it is the truth. Most people I interact with on various social media platforms who would want a new Zimbabwe without ZANU PF are very divorced from the reality that ZANU PF has a support base and that support base will continue to grow and easily so.
"While all of us urbanites might think ZANU PF "haichadiwa nevanhu," I believe it is said by people who do not move around Zimbabwe. Yes ZANU PF has messed up a lot economically and on other issues but the truth is they have a following and below is why I believe they have it.
"The ZANU PF recently launched a farming program called Pfumvudza in which they are providing Small Scale and Communal Farmers with inputs, they are doing so in rural constituencies where you always get shocking numbers in any election," posted Mafukidze.
Another netizen known as Bambi tweeted, “His Excellency President Mnangagwa promised results and results is what we are getting .The #Pfumvudza program is proving to be a good way to sustain Zimbabwean livelihoods."
Nevanhu posted on his Twitter handle that the Pfumvudza program is commendable as it seeks to ensure that family units at the lowest level are food self-sufficient.
"Pfumvudza programme is a climate proofing program (smart agric/conservative) launched by President Mnangagwa Government that seeks to ensure that family units at the lowest level are food self-sufficient by using a plot of 28m by 52m to produce a tonne of maize," he posted.
Blessed tweeted that the Pfumvudza farming project is the ideal, as it ensures food security for small holder farmers.
"There is increased water retention capacity, nutrient availability per plant station, hence increased yield for the small holder farmers.
"Pfumvudza is the ideal program to ensure food security for our small holder farmers,” tweeted Blessed.
Under the Pfumvudza Program, farmers are provided with inputs through Presidential Input Scheme and each beneficiary gets 50kg ammonium nitrate, 50kg of compound D fertilizer, 50kg maize seed, 2kg traditional grains and a kit for the fall army worm.
These inputs are all given for free.
The Presidential inputs have so far been distributed in most of the provinces. Last week, President Mnangagwa was in Masvingo, where he launched the Pfumvudza farming program at Zion Christian Church (ZCC) Mbungu.
President Mnangagwa urged the churches to embrace the Government's call to practise sustainable agriculture as a way of boosting the country's food security.
