Christopher Makaza
Government is in the process of addressing challenges affecting the livestock sub-sector through injecting financial support, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
Addressing thousands of people gathered at the National Sports Stadium to commemorate the 39th Independence celebrations yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the Government was also in the process of resuscitating the Cold Storage Commission (CSC) which had for a long time not performing.
"To address the challenges besetting the livestock sub-sector, Government is increasing financial support towards the procurement of essential vaccines against high impact diseases. In addition, over 60 veterinary doctors have been deployed country wide. The resuscitation of CSC is on track," said President Mnangagwa.
Speaking on production on land and value addition, President Mnangagwa said Government would continue to increase production on ARDA farms with subsidiary focus on value addition.
"I wish to applaud private sector players who have heeded the call to support Government programmes to increase productivity and viability in the agriculture sector. This resulted in increased out put in wheat, soya beans, tobacco and cotton, among other crops," he said.
The President re-assured the people that Land Reform Programme is irreversible and that Zimbabwe will never ever regret taking back its land and neither will it betray fellow comrades who paid the supreme sacrifice for the land and now lie buried in marked and unmarked graves within Zimbabwe borders and beyond.
President Mnangagwa said legal issues to the programme such as multiple farm ownership, disregard for maximum farm size, allocation of grazing land and other unclear boundaries among others must be addressed head on, without fear or favour.
The President also noted that the Land Audit Report is expected to help return order in this respect and where possible, some of those still in need of land will be considered thereafter.
President Mnangagwa further highlighted that the new administration is now focusing on unlocking value from the land and ensuring maximum productivity adding that there is need to provide security of tenure, facilitate access to capital for farmers and generate sufficient raw materials for the revival and growth of the industrial sector.
Regarding climate change, the President said "the negative impact of climate change entails that we undertake adaptive responses that will enhance our resilience. As a result of this year's drought, considerable quantities of grain in our Strategic Grain Reserves will be availed so that none of our people will die from hunger," he said.
