Staff Reporter

The 2023 winter wheat farming season will run smoothly thanks to 120 megawatts of power set aside by the Government.

Dr. Anxious Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, recently spoke to the media and stated that the Government was anticipating another large wheat harvest and had set aside 120 megawatts for this year’s winter wheat farming season.

“All the dominoes and processes have been lined up so that the 120 megawatts are availed specifically for the winter wheat growing areas. It is Government’s role to make sure that there is constant power supply, fuel supply, and water to the wheat production clusters,” Dr Masuka.

The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development stated in its Summer and Winter Crop and Livestock Programme 2023/24 that the wheat crop would be supported by private contractors, the Government's National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme (NEAPS), the Presidential Wheat Support Scheme, and self-financed growers.

 “The 2023/24 summer and the 2023 winter season programme target is to sustainably increase crop production and productivity to meet and surpass the national requirements for both human consumption and industrial use,” said Dr Masuka.

Dr Masuka added that his Ministry has been working closely with  the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company's (ZETDC) and Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) to ensure they are adequately prepared for the winter wheat production.

With the Government targeting to increase wheat production to meet the national requirements in line with the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, constant electricity supply would be key in achieving the set target.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has announced a reduction in load shedding in response to the rising domestic power generation capacity.